History of France in Timeline

France, officially the French Republic, is primarily located in Western Europe with overseas regions and territories. It borders Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. Metropolitan France stretches from the Rhine to the Atlantic, and from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea. It has 18 integral regions covering 632,702 km2 and a population estimated at 69.1 million in 2026. Paris serves as its capital, largest city, and main cultural and economic center.

1900: Paris hosts the Olympic Games

Paris hosted the second Olympic Games in 1900.

1904: Entente Cordiale with the United Kingdom

Since 1904, France has maintained an "Entente Cordiale" with the United Kingdom.

1905: Establishment of State Secularism

In 1905, state secularism was officially established in France.

1905: Law on the Separation of the Churches and the State

In 1905, the law on the Separation of the Churches and the State established the concept of laïcité, a strict separation of church and state.

August 1914: Germany Invades France

In August 1914, Germany invaded France at the start of World War I, defended by Great Britain, leading to the occupation of a rich industrial area in the north.

1919: Francis Poulenc's piano suite Trois mouvements perpétuels

In 1919, Francis Poulenc created his piano suite Trois mouvements perpétuels.

1921: Wave of Immigration

Between 1921 and 1935, about 1.1 million net immigrants came to France.

1923: Francis Poulenc's ballet Les Biches

In 1923, Francis Poulenc created his ballet Les Biches.

1923: 24 Hours of Le Mans

Since 1923, France is famous for its 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car endurance race.

1924: Paris hosts the Summer Olympics and France introduced Olympics for deaf people

In 1924, Paris hosted the Summer Olympics and France introduced Olympics for deaf people (Deaflympics).

1928: Francis Poulenc's Concert champêtre

In 1928, Francis Poulenc composed the Concert champêtre for harpsichord and orchestra.

1935: Wave of Immigration

Between 1921 and 1935, about 1.1 million net immigrants came to France.

1938: FIFA World Cup

France hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1938.

1940: France Surrenders to Germany

In 1940, France surrendered to Germany and was subsequently occupied during World War II.

1940: France Invaded by Nazi Germany

In 1940, France was invaded and quickly defeated by Nazi Germany, leading to the division of the country and the establishment of the Vichy government.

1942: Deportation of French Citizens

From 1942, about 160,000 French citizens were deported to death and concentration camps.

June 1944: Allied Invasion of Normandy

On June 6, 1944, the Allies invaded Normandy, ultimately restoring French sovereignty.

1944: Liberation of France

In 1944, France was liberated, leading to the establishment of the short-lived Fourth Republic.

1946: Establishment of the Fourth Republic

In 1946, a new constitution resulted in the Fourth Republic, which saw strong economic growth.

1947: Rally of the French People

In 1947, the Gaullist Party changed its name to the Rally of the French People.

1954: Defeat in French Indochina

In 1954, France was defeated by the Viet Minh in its attempt to regain control of French Indochina.

1957: Francis Poulenc's opera Dialogues des Carmélites

In 1957, Francis Poulenc composed the opera Dialogues des Carmélites.

May 1958: May 1958 Crisis

During the May 1958 crisis, the weak Fourth Republic gave way to the Fifth Republic, which included a strengthened presidency.

1958: Approval of the Constitution

In 1958, the Constitution of the Fifth Republic was approved by referendum.

1958: Establishment of the Fifth Republic

In 1958, the Fifth Republic was formed by Charles de Gaulle, featuring a semi-presidential system.

1958: Union of Democrats for the Republic

In 1958, the Gaullist Party changed its name to the Union of Democrats for the Republic.

1958: French Constitution of 1958

The French Constitution of 1958 further codified the prohibition of the government from collecting data on ethnicity and ancestry.

1959: Francis Poulenc's Gloria

In 1959, Francis Poulenc created the Gloria for soprano, choir and orchestra.

1960: Recognised Nuclear State

France has been a recognised nuclear state since 1960.

1960: European Nations' Cup

France hosted the European Nations' Cup in 1960.

1960: Dominance of the French high fashion industry

France renewed its dominance of the high fashion industry in the years 1860–1960 through the establishment of the great couturier houses such as Chanel, Dior, and Givenchy.

1962: Évian Accords and Algerian Independence

In 1962, the Évian Accords led to Algerian independence, accompanied by significant displacement and migration.

1963: Élysée Treaty with Germany

Since the 1963 Élysée Treaty, France has developed close ties with reunified Germany to become the most influential driving force of the EU.

May 1968: Revolt of May 1968

The revolt of May 1968 in France had a significant social impact, marking a shift in moral ideals but ultimately leading to a split between the French and de Gaulle.

1968: Grenoble hosted the Winter Games

Grenoble hosted the Winter Games in 1968.

1969: Socialist Party

In 1969, the French Section of the Workers' International was succeeded by the Socialist Party.

1971: Creation of Environment Ministry

In 1971, France was one of the first countries to create an environment ministry.

1973: Response to the Oil Crisis

Following the 1973 oil crisis, France heavily invested in nuclear power.

1973: Oil Crisis and Energy Security Policy

In 1973, France began a strong policy of energy security, involving major investment in nuclear energy due to the oil crisis.

1973: End of Baby Boom

In 1973, the end of the baby boom was recorded.

1974: ORTF split into several national institutions

In 1974, after years of centralised monopoly on radio and television, the governmental agency ORTF was split into several national institutions, but the three already-existing TV channels and four national radio stations remained under state control.

1976: Rally for the Republic

In 1976, the Gaullist Party changed its name to the Rally for the Republic.

1977: Paris new building height restriction

In Paris, since 1977, new buildings were restricted to a maximum height of 37 metres (121 ft).

1981: Free broadcasting allowed

In 1981 the French government allowed free broadcasting in the territory.

1982: Peak of public sector employment

At its peak in 1982, the public sector in France accounted for one-fifth of industrial employment and over four-fifths of the credit market.

1984: UEFA Euro

France hosted the UEFA Euro in 1984.

1990: Gayssot Act

France has laws against racism and antisemitism, while the 1990 Gayssot Act prohibits Holocaust denial.

1990: EU Carbon Emissions Targets

Like all European Union state members, France agreed to cut carbon emissions by at least 20% of 1990 levels by 2020.

1990: Increase in Forest Area

Since 1990, forest area in France has increased by 7 per cent.

1992: Albertville hosted the Winter Games

Albertville hosted the Winter Games in 1992.

1992: Signing of the Maastricht Treaty

In 1992, France signed the Maastricht Treaty, contributing to the development of the European Union.

1993: Exclusion of culture and audiovisuals from WTO liberalised sectors

In 1993, France successfully convinced all EU members to refuse to include culture and audiovisuals in the list of liberalised sectors of the WTO.

1994: Low Total Fertility Rate

In 1994, the total fertility rate in France reached a low of 1.7.

1995: Public Transport Bombings

In 1995, France experienced public transport bombings, marking the beginning of a series of Islamist attacks.

1995: Religious movements listed as dangerous cults

The Parliament has listed many religious movements as dangerous cults since 1995.

1997: WHO Ranking of Health Care System

The French health care system was ranked first worldwide by the WHO in 1997.

1997: End of national conscription

There has been no national conscription in France since 1997.

1998: FIFA World Cup

France hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1998.

1999: Establishment of the Eurozone

In 1999, France helped establish the eurozone as part of its involvement in the European Union.

1999: Civil unions for homosexual couples permitted

Since 1999, civil unions for homosexual couples have been permitted in France.

2000: WHO Assessment of Health Care

In its 2000 assessment, the World Health Organization (WHO) found that France provided the "close to best overall health care" in the world.

2004: Ban on conspicuous religious symbols in schools

France banned wearing conspicuous religious symbols in schools since 2004.

2004: Institut Montaigne Estimate of Ethnic Groups

In 2004, the Institut Montaigne estimated that within Metropolitan France, 51 million people were white (85% of the population), 6 million were northwest African (10%), 2 million were black (3.3%), and 1 million were Asian (1.7%).

2004: Madrid Train Bombings

In 2004, the Madrid train bombings occurred, the deadliest attack in the European Union since World War II. France was also affected by the aftermath of these attacks.

2004: Decrease in Asylum Applications

In 2005, France was Western Europe's leading recipient of asylum seekers, with an estimated 50,000 applications, albeit a 15% decrease from 2004.

2005: Leading Recipient of Asylum Seekers

In 2005, France was Western Europe's leading recipient of asylum seekers, with an estimated 50,000 applications.

2005: UNESCO confirms decision on cultural exception

In 2005, the decision to treat culture differently from other commercial products was confirmed in a vote by UNESCO.

2006: Michelin Guide stars awarded to French restaurants

By 2006, the Michelin Guide had awarded 620 stars to French restaurants.

2006: Population Growth Average

From 2006 to 2011, population growth averaged 0.6 percent per year.

2007: Native Languages

According to the 2007 Adult Education survey, French is the native language of 87% of the population, or roughly 56 million people.

2007: Inhabitants living with HIV/AIDS

As of 2007, approximately 140,000 inhabitants (0.4%) are living with HIV/AIDS.

2007: Rugby World Cup

France hosted the Rugby World Cup in 2007.

2007: Signing of the Treaty of Lisbon

In 2007, France signed the Treaty of Lisbon, further advancing the supranational European Union.

2007: Saint Barthélemy secedes from Guadeloupe

In 2007, Saint Barthélemy seceded from Guadeloupe.

2007: Union for a Popular Movement

In 2007, the Gaullist Party changed its name to the Union for a Popular Movement.

2008: Minority Ancestry Groups

A 2008 poll estimated that the largest minority ancestry groups were Italian (5 million), followed by northwest African (3–6 million), Sub-Saharan African (2.5 million), Armenian (500,000), and Turkish (200,000).

2008: Financial Crisis

According to the INSEE institute, the increase in immigrants coming from Spain, Portugal and Italy between 2009 and 2012 resulted from the 2008 financial crisis.

2008: Railway Network Extent

As of 2008, the railway network in France stretched 29,473 kilometers (18,314 mi).

2008: Increase in Renewable Energy Production

Between 2008 and 2019, France's production capacity from renewable energies rose consistently, nearly doubling.

2008: Government initiative to help the print media sector

In 2008, the French government launched a major initiative to help the print media sector reform and become financially independent.

2008: Immigrant Population

In 2008, the number of foreign-born immigrants was around 5 million (8% of the population), while their French-born descendants numbered 6.5 million, or 11% of the population.

2009: Growth of Spanish Immigrant Population

Between 2009 and 2012, statistics on Spanish immigrants in France show a growth of 107 per cent, with the population growing from 5,300 to 11,000.

2009: Disneyland Paris visitors

In 2009, Disneyland Paris had 15 million combined visitors to the resort's Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park.

2009: Carbon Tax Plan Abandoned

In 2009, France was set to impose a carbon tax but abandoned the plan due to fears of burdening French businesses.

2009: Government aid to print media due to financial crisis

In 2009, the French government had to give €600,000 to help the print media cope with the 2008 financial crisis, in addition to existing subsidies.

2010: Ban on face-covering Islamic veils

In 2010, France banned the wearing of face-covering Islamic veils in public.

2010: Asylum Applications

In 2010, France received about 48,100 asylum applications.

2010: Newborns with Foreign-Born Parents

In 2010, roughly one in four newborns (27 percent) in Metropolitan France had at least one foreign-born parent.

2010: Rise in Total Fertility Rate

In 2010, the total fertility rate in France rose to 2.0.

2011: Health Care Spending

In 2011, France spent 11.6% of its GDP on health care, or US$4,086 per capita.

2011: Population Growth Since 2011

Since 2011, annual population growth has been between 0.4 and 0.5 percent annually.

2011: Decline in Fertility Rate

Since 2011, the fertility rate in France has been steadily declining.

2012: Intervention in the Mali War

From 2012 to 2021, France and other African states intervened in support of the Malian government in the Mali War.

2012: Religious Buildings

In 2012, among the 47,000 religious buildings in France, 94% were Catholic churches.

2012: Foreigners Coming to France

In 2012, of the total of 229,000 foreigners coming to France, nearly 8% were Portuguese, 5% British, 5% Spanish, 4% Italian, 4% German, 3% Romanian, and 3% Belgian.

2013: France as the second-largest exporter of films

In 2013, France was the second-largest exporter of films in the world, after the United States.

2013: Same-sex marriage and LGBT adoption legalized

Since 2013, same-sex marriage and LGBT adoption are legal in France.

2014: Opération Chammal begins

In 2014, Opération Chammal, France's military efforts to contain ISIS, began, killing over 1,000 ISIS troops between 2014 and 2015.

2014: Increase in Immigration from Southern Europe

In 2014, the INSEE reported a significant increase in the number of immigrants coming from Spain, Portugal and Italy between 2009 and 2012.

November 2015: November 2015 Paris Attacks

In November 2015, Paris experienced deadly attacks resulting in 130 deaths, marking the deadliest attack on French soil since World War II and the deadliest in the European Union since the Madrid train bombings in 2004.

2015: French Armed Forces Ranking

According to a 2015 study by Crédit Suisse, the French Armed Forces ranked as the world's sixth-most powerful military and the second most powerful in Europe.

2015: France as a leader in filmmaking

As of 2015, France was producing more films than any other European country.

2015: Networked State

In 2015 France was described as "the best networked state in the world" due to its membership in more international institutions than any other country.

2015: The Republicans

In 2015, the Gaullist Party changed its name to The Republicans.

2016: Population Growth in the EU

Between 2006 and 2016, France saw the second-highest overall increase in population in the EU and was one of four EU countries where natural births accounted for the most population growth.

2016: UEFA Euro

France hosted the UEFA Euro 2016.

2016: Administrative Regions Division

Since 2016, France is divided into 18 administrative regions: 13 regions in metropolitan France (including Corsica), and five overseas.

2017: LVMH as the largest luxury company

According to 2017 data compiled by Deloitte, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey (LVMH), a French brand, is the largest luxury company in the world by sales.

2017: Emmanuel Macron Becomes President

In 2017, Emmanuel Macron became the President of France.

2017: Increase in Asylum Applications

In 2017, France saw the number of asylum applications double to 100,412.

2017: Fourth-largest donor of development aid

In 2017, France was the world's fourth-largest donor of development aid in absolute terms, representing 0.43% of its GNP.

2017: La République En Marche! becomes dominant force

In the 2017 presidential and legislative elections, the radical centrist party La République En Marche! (LREM) became the dominant force, overtaking both Socialists and Republicans. LREM's opponent in the second round of the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections was the growing far-right party National Rally (RN).

2018: Fifth-largest trading nation

In 2018 France was the fifth-largest trading nation and second-largest in Europe, with the value of exports representing over a fifth of GDP.

2018: EDF electricity production

In 2018, EDF produced roughly one-fifth of the EU's electricity, primarily from nuclear power.

2018: Forest Landscape Integrity Index Score

In 2018, France had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.52/10.

2018: Musée d'Orsay voted best museum

The Musée d'Orsay was voted best museum in the world in 2018.

2018: OECD Ranking of Education

The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, ranked France's education as near the OECD average in 2018.

June 28, 2019: Record High Temperature

On June 28, 2019, the temperature in Vérargues reached 46 °C, setting a temperature record in Metropolitan France since records began.

2019: Number of Regional Nature Parks

As of 2019, there were 54 PNRs (regional nature parks) in France.

2019: Increase in Renewable Energy Production

Between 2008 and 2019, France's production capacity from renewable energies rose consistently, nearly doubling.

2019: FIFA Women's World Cup

France hosted the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2019.

2019: Global Competitiveness Report Ranking

France is the 15th most competitive according to the 2019 Global Competitiveness Report.

2019: Foreign Direct Investment Ranking

In 2019, France ranked first in Europe and 13th in the world in foreign direct investment, with European countries and the United States being leading sources.

2020: Environmental Performance Index Ranking

According to the 2020 Environmental Performance Index, France was ranked the fifth most environmentally conscious country in the world.

2020: Bloomberg Innovation Index Ranking

France is among the world's 10 most innovative countries in the 2020 Bloomberg Innovation Index.

2020: The Ecologists perform well in mayoral elections

Since 2020, The Ecologists have performed well in mayoral elections in major cities.

2020: INSEE Revision of Metropolitan Area Borders

Since its 2020 revision of metropolitan area borders, INSEE considers that Nice is a metropolitan area separate from the Cannes-Antibes metropolitan area.

2021: Intervention in the Mali War

From 2012 to 2021, France and other African states intervened in support of the Malian government in the Mali War.

2021: Energy exporter

In 2021, France was the biggest energy exporter in Europe, mostly to the UK and Italy, and the largest net exporter of electricity in the world.

2021: Metropolitan Area Population

In 2021, Paris had a metropolitan area population of 13,171,056 inhabitants.

2021: Regional daily newspapers sales doubling national newspapers sales

In 2021, regional daily newspapers, such as Ouest-France, Sud Ouest, La Voix du Nord, Dauphiné Libéré, Le Télégramme, and Le Progrès, more than doubled the sales of national newspapers, such as Le Monde, Le Figaro, L'Équipe (sports), Le Parisien, and Les Echos (finance).

2021: Share of Children with Foreign-Born Mothers

In 2021, the share of children of foreign-born mothers in France was 23 percent.

2022: Health Care Spending Per Capita

In 2022, average health care spending per capita was US$8,630, representing 12.1% of GDP.

2022: Migrants Coming to France

In 2022, more than 320,000 migrants came to France, with the majority coming from Africa.

2022: New Ecological and Social People's Union and National Rally

In 2022, the New Ecological and Social People's Union was the second-largest voting block elected to the lower house, and the right-wing populist National Rally (RN) became the largest opposition party in the National Assembly.

2022: Macron Re-elected

In the 2022 presidential election, Macron was re-elected.

2022: Louvre visitors

The Louvre, which is the most visited art museum in the world, had 7.7 million visitors in 2022.

2022: Weapons Exports

Weapons exported from France totalled 27 billion euros in 2022, up from 11.7 billion euros the previous year. The UAE contributed more than 16 billion euros arms to the French total.