Events from the year 1952 in France.
Incumbents President: Vincent Auriol President of the Council of Ministers: until 20 January: René Pleven 20 January-8 March: Edgar Faure starting 8 March: Antoine Pinay
Events 25 February – Battle of Hòa Bình ends in defeat for French forces by the Việt Minh in Vietnam. 1 October – Operation Bretagne begins in Vietnam. 19 October – Alain Bombard begins to sail from Canary Islands to Barbados in 65 days; he reaches them 23 December. 29 October – Operation Lorraine begins. October – Battle of Nà Sản begins. 8 November – Operation Lorraine ends with no decisive result. 2 December – Battle of Nà Sản ends in French victory. Luxury brand Givenchy is founded by fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy.
Arts and literature 1 June – Roman Catholic Church bans books of André Gide.
Sport 25 June – Tour de France begins. 19 July – Tour de France ends, won by Fausto Coppi of Italy.
Births 25 January – Sara Mandiano, singer and songwriter. 2 February – Christiane Taubira, politician. 4 February – Gabriel Yacoub, musician and visual artist. (died 2025) 15 February – Dominique Mouillot, business leader. 26 March – Didier Pironi, motor racing driver (died 1987) 27 March – Maria Schneider, actress (died 2011) 1 April – Bernard Stiegler, philosopher (died 2020) 2 April – Thierry Le Luron, impersonator and humorist (died 1986) 23 April – Jean-Dominique Bauby, journalist, author and editor (died 1997) 11 May – Renaud, singer 31 May – Carole Achache, writer, photographer and actress (died 2016) 3 June – Dominique Laffin, actress (died 1985) 7 June – Hubert Auriol, motor racing driver (died 2021) 16 June – René Renou, wine expert (died 2006) 27 June – Lydia Schenardi, politician and Member of the European Parliament 16 July – Jean Paul Gaultier, fashion designer 31 August – Edwy Plenel, journalist and editor of Le Monde 23 October – Pierre Moerlen, drummer and percussionist (died 2005) 25 October – Florence Picaut, athlete October – François Ovide, guitarist (died 2002) 4 December – Farid Chopel, actor, comedian and singer (died 2008) 7 December – Gisèle Pelicot, mass rape victim 12 December – Roland Roche, alpine skier
Full date unknown Didier Dubois, mathematician Françoise Thébaud, historian, professor emeritus
Deaths 11 January – Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, general, military hero of World War II (born 1889) 18 May – Henry Bérenger, diplomat (born 1867) 16 July – Jean Chantavoine, musicologist and biographer (born 1877) 3 November – Louis Verneuil, playwright and screenwriter (born 1893) 18 November – Paul Éluard, poet (born 1895) 19 November – Marcel Henriot, World War I flying ace (born 1896) 27 November – Abel Lefranc, literary historian (born 1863) 5 December – André Lefaur, actor (born 1879) Full date unknown Gabrielle Petit (feminist), feminist activist, anticlerical, libertarian socialist, and newspaper editor (born 1860)
See also List of French films of 1952
References