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

1371 - John the Fearless (Duke of Burgundy)

1588 - Pierre Séguier (Chancellor of France)

1738 - Joseph-Ignace Guillotin (French physician)

1807 - Louis Agassiz (Swiss-born zoologist and geologist)

1878 - Paul Pelliot (French sinologist)

1920 - Gaston Lenôtre (French pastry chef)

1934 - Dionne quintuplets (French Canadian, the first quintuplets to survive infancy)

1971 - Isabelle Carré (French actress)

1986 - Charles N'Zogbia (French soccer player)

Deaths

1747 - Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (French writer)

1971 - Jean Vilar (French actor)

Holidays/Celebrations

Feast Day of Germain of Paris

Milestones/Events

1754 - French and Indian War: Battle of Jumonville Glen

1940 - World War II: Belgium surrendered to Germany

1940 - World War II: Norwegian, French, Polish and British forces recaptured Narvik - the first allied infantry victory

1970 - Free University of Brussels officially split into two separate entities, the French-speaking Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel

1975 - Fifteen West African countries signed the Treaty of Lagos, creating the Economic Community of West African States

1978 - Second round of the presidential elections in Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), incumbent Sangoulé Lamizana won

2000 - Mount Cameroon volcano erupted

Errors and Omissions

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