Learn about important dates in French and francophone history: famous birthdays, holidays and celebrations, and other milestones. If the above does not match today's date or you wish to choose a specific date, please click here.

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Birthdays

1736 - Jean-Baptiste L. Romé de l'Isle (French chemist)

1740 - Joseph Montgolfier (French inventor)

1743 - Antoine Lavoisier (French chemist)

1850 - Charles Robert Richet (French physiologist)

1880 - Guillaume Apollinaire (French poet and art critic)

1885 - Jules Romains (French writer)

1941 - Barbet Schroeder (Swiss film director)

Deaths

1346 - Charles II of Alençon

1346 - John I, Count of Luxembourg

1346 - Louis I of Flanders

1346 - Rudolph, Duke of Lorraine

1850 - Louis-Philippe of France

1978 - Charles Boyer (French actor)

Milestones/Events

1346 - Hundred Years War: Battle of Crécy

1789 - Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen approved by Constituent Assembly

1914 - World War I: German colony of Togoland invaded by French and British forces

1940 - Chad joined Allies (first French colony to do so)

1944 - World War II: Charles de Gaulle entered Paris

1976 - Raymond Barre became Prime Minister of France

1977 - Québec: Charte de la langue française / Bill 101

1986 - Cameroon: 1,700 people killed by toxic gas

1988 - Merhan Karimi Nasseri arrived at Charles de Gaulle International Airport

1997 - Algeria: Beni-Ali massacre

Errors and Omissions

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