Cultural Production in
Present Day
France
France
France ranks #4 by number of biographies on Pantheon, behind United States, United Kingdom, and Germany. The most famous people from France are Napoleon, Louis XIV of France, and René Descartes. The most famous people who died in France are Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, and Vincent van Gogh. France has been the birthplace of many soccer players, and politicians and the death place of many politicians, and writers. The top cities in France by number of people born are Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Nice.
People
Between 380 BC and 2009, present-day France was the birthplace of 7,663 globally memorable people, including Napoleon, Louis XIV of France, and René Descartes. Additionally, 5,202 globally memorable people died in present-day France, including Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, and Vincent van Gogh.
People Born in Present-Day France
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Napoleon
Politician
1769 - 1821
HPI: 95.29
Rank: 1
Louis XIV of France
Politician
1638 - 1715
HPI: 93.01
Rank: 2
René Descartes
Philosopher
1596 - 1650
HPI: 92.12
Rank: 3
Blaise Pascal
Mathematician
1623 - 1662
HPI: 91.04
Rank: 4
Joan of Arc
Military Personnel
1412 - 1431
HPI: 91.02
Rank: 5
Louis XVI of France
Politician
1754 - 1793
HPI: 90.50
Rank: 6
Victor Hugo
Writer
1802 - 1885
HPI: 89.52
Rank: 7
Voltaire
Writer
1694 - 1778
HPI: 89.44
Rank: 8
Louis Pasteur
Chemist
1822 - 1895
HPI: 89.24
Rank: 9
Claude Monet
Painter
1840 - 1926
HPI: 88.69
Rank: 10
Jules Verne
Writer
1828 - 1905
HPI: 88.32
Rank: 11
Molière
Writer
1622 - 1673
HPI: 87.83
Rank: 12
Newly Added People Born in Present-Day France
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Marie-Rose Tessier
Celebrity
1910 - 2026
HPI: 63.87
Rank: 2,094
Gabriel de Lorges, Count of Montgomery
Military Personnel
1530 - 1574
HPI: 63.61
Rank: 2,163
Bernard Tissier de Mallerais
Religious Figure
1945 - 2024
HPI: 63.19
Rank: 2,282
Jean-Pierre Faye
Philosopher
1925 - 2026
HPI: 62.59
Rank: 2,484
Gérard Barray
Actor
1931 - 2024
HPI: 62.27
Rank: 2,590
Éliane Radigue
Composer
1932 - 2026
HPI: 61.10
Rank: 2,944
Jacqueline Sassard
Actor
1940 - 2021
HPI: 60.90
Rank: 3,005
Marthe Robin
Religious Figure
1902 - 1981
HPI: 59.42
Rank: 3,488
Rolland Courbis
Soccer Player
1953 - 2026
HPI: 58.75
Rank: 3,703
William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire
Politician
1790 - 1858
HPI: 58.64
Rank: 3,731
Marcel Bigeard
Military Personnel
1916 - 2010
HPI: 58.37
Rank: 3,809
Didier Eribon
Philosopher
1953 - Present
HPI: 58.29
Rank: 3,836
People Deceased in Present-Day France
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Leonardo da Vinci
Inventor
1452 - 1519
HPI: 96.80
Rank: 1
Marie Curie
Physicist
1867 - 1934
HPI: 94.30
Rank: 2
Vincent van Gogh
Painter
1853 - 1890
HPI: 93.26
Rank: 3
Louis XIV of France
Politician
1638 - 1715
HPI: 93.01
Rank: 4
Frédéric Chopin
Composer
1810 - 1849
HPI: 92.48
Rank: 5
Pablo Picasso
Painter
1881 - 1973
HPI: 91.68
Rank: 6
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Philosopher
1712 - 1778
HPI: 91.27
Rank: 7
Blaise Pascal
Mathematician
1623 - 1662
HPI: 91.04
Rank: 8
Joan of Arc
Military Personnel
1412 - 1431
HPI: 91.02
Rank: 9
Louis XVI of France
Politician
1754 - 1793
HPI: 90.50
Rank: 10
Victor Hugo
Writer
1802 - 1885
HPI: 89.52
Rank: 11
Voltaire
Writer
1694 - 1778
HPI: 89.44
Rank: 12
Newly Added People Deceased in Present-Day France
Go to all RankingsMarie-Rose Tessier
Celebrity
1910 - 2026
HPI: 63.87
Rank: 2,256
Gabriel de Lorges, Count of Montgomery
Military Personnel
1530 - 1574
HPI: 63.61
Rank: 2,333
Jean-Pierre Faye
Philosopher
1925 - 2026
HPI: 62.59
Rank: 2,659
Leila Shahid
Diplomat
1949 - 2026
HPI: 62.35
Rank: 2,738
Éliane Radigue
Composer
1932 - 2026
HPI: 61.10
Rank: 3,145
Gholam Reza Pahlavi
Nobleman
1923 - 2017
HPI: 60.17
Rank: 3,460
Marthe Robin
Religious Figure
1902 - 1981
HPI: 59.42
Rank: 3,703
Georges Nagelmackers
Businessperson
1845 - 1905
HPI: 59.41
Rank: 3,705
Mike Brant
Singer
1947 - 1975
HPI: 59.12
Rank: 3,805
Zeid bin Hussein
Nobleman
1898 - 1970
HPI: 59.07
Rank: 3,827
Rolland Courbis
Soccer Player
1953 - 2026
HPI: 58.75
Rank: 3,942
Marcel Bigeard
Military Personnel
1916 - 2010
HPI: 58.37
Rank: 4,053
Occupations
Most people born in present-day France were soccer players (1131), politicians (988), writers (694), actors (550), and athletes (523), while most who died were politicians (1020), writers (735), painters (346), actors (276), and religious figures (204).
Places
Overlapping Lives
Below is a visualization of the lifespans of the top 25 globally memorable people born in present-day France since 1700.
