Events from the year 1959 in France.
Incumbents President: Rene Coty (until 8 January), Charles de Gaulle (starting 8 January) Prime Minister: Charles de Gaulle (until 8 January), Michel Debré (starting 8 January)
Events 8 January – Charles de Gaulle inaugurated as the first president of French Fifth Republic. 8 and 15 March – first French municipal elections under the French Fifth Republic 2 December – The Malpasset Dam collapses and floods the town of Fréjus, killing 412.
Arts and literature 11 March – Eurovision Song Contest held in Cannes. 29 October – Astérix the Gaul makes a first appearance in the first regular issue of the comic magazine Pilote.
Sport 25 June – 1959 Tour de France begins. 18 July – 1959 Tour de France ends, won by Federico Bahamontes of Spain, the first Spanish cyclist to win the Tour de France.
Births 1 January – Michel Onfray, philosopher and author 7 February – Christine Angot, novelist and playwright 18 March – Luc Besson, film director, writer and producer 1 May – Yasmina Reza, playwright, actress, novelist and screenwriter 11 May – Didier Guillaume, politician (died 2025) 14 May – Patrick Bruel, singer and actor 28 May – Steve Jeltz, baseball player 19 June – Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris 6 July – Richard Dacoury, basketball player 15 July – Vincent Lindon, actor and filmmaker 7 September – Pierre Nanterme, business executive (died 2019) 10 September – Philippe Pugnat, alpine skier 19 October – Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, politician
Deaths 21 January – Yves Le Febvre, writer and politician (born 1874) 17 April – Paul Dujardin, water polo player and Olympic medallist (born 1894) 5 May – Georges Grente, cardinal (born 1872) 14 May – Sidney Bechet, African American jazz saxophonist (born 1897) 15 May – Jeanne de Flandreysy, writer (born 1874) 2 June – Max Rousié, rugby league and rugby union footballer (born 1912) 22 June – Félix Guignot, physician (born 1882) 23 June – Boris Vian, writer, poet and musician (born 1920) 25 November Jean Grémillon, film director (born 1901) Gérard Philipe, actor (born 1922)
See also 1959 in French television List of French films of 1959
References