1896 in France

Sport

• Racing Club de Lyon, a football club predecessor to Olympique Lyonnais, is officially founded.

Births

January to June

• 4 January – André Masson, artist (died 1987)
• 19 February – André Breton, writer, poet, and surrealist theorist (died 1966)
• 20 February – Henri de Lubac, Jesuit priest and theologian (died 1991)
• 19 March – Jean Wiener, pianist and composer (died 1982)
• 18 April – Job de Roincé, journalist and writer (died 1981)
• 20 April – Henry de Montherlant, essayist, novelist and playwright (died 1972)

July to September

• 16 July – Léon Weil, World War I veteran (died 2006)
• 18 July – Jean Dufay, astronomer (died 1967)
• 21 July – Jean Rivier, composer (died 1987)
• 27 July – Henri Longchambon, politician (died 1969)
• 12 August – Alexis Tendil, World War I veteran (died 2005)
• 15 August – Marie Besnard, accused serial poisoner (died 1980)
• 23 August – Jacques Rueff, economist and adviser to the French Government (died 1978)
• 1 September – André Hunebelle, film director (died 1985)
• 14 September – Georges Piot, rower and Olympic medallist (died 1980)
• September – Elsa Triolet, writer (died 1970)

October to December

• 2 October – Jacques Duclos, politician (died 1975)
• 8 October – Julien Duvivier, film director (died 1967)
• 15 October – Célestin Freinet, pedagogue, and educational reformer (died 1966)
• 18 October – Marie-Laurence Quatrefages, politician and Righteous Among the Nations (died 1976)
• 26 October – Louis Renou, indologist (died 1966)
• 18 November – Pierre Couderc, screenwriter, actor, acrobat and film producer (died 1966)
• 29 December – Philippe Étancelin, motor racing driver (died 1981)

Full date unknown

• Albert Besson, hygienist and physician (died 1965)
• Lisette de Brinon, socialite and collaborator (died 1982)

Deaths

January to June

• 8 January – Paul Verlaine, poet (born 1844)
• 26 February – Arsène Houssaye, novelist and poet (born 1815)
• 5 May – Auguste Sallé, traveller and entomologist (born 1820)
• 29 May – Gabriel Auguste Daubrée, geologist (born 1814)
• 26 June – Louis, Duke of Nemours, second son of King Louis-Philippe of France (born 1814)

July to December

• 10 July – Joseph-Christian-Ernest Bourret, Cardinal (born 1827)
• 16 July – Edmond de Goncourt, writer, critic and book publisher (born 1822)
• 17 August – Élie-Abel Carrière, botanist (born 1818)
• 18 September – Hippolyte Fizeau, physicist (born 1819)
• 7 October – Louis Jules Trochu, soldier and statesman (born 1815)
• 26 October – Paul-Armand Challemel-Lacour, statesman (born 1827)
• 17 December – Paul Arène, poet and writer (born 1843)

See also

• List of French films before 1910

References