The following is a list of massacres that have occurred in France (numbers may be approximate):
Celtic Gaul NameDateLocationDeathsPerpetratorsNotes1st Cenabum massacreCenabumUnknownCarnutesCarnutes massacre Roman civilians and soldiers2nd Cenabum massacreCenabumUnknownRoman armyJulius Caesar's soldiers massacre the population of Cenabum.Siege of AvaricumAvaricum39,200Roman armyJulius Caesar's soldiers massacre the population of Avaricum.
Roman Gaul NameDateLocationDeathsPerpetratorsNotesSack of MetzMetzUnknownHunsCity sacked and burned and all inhabitants killed by Hun troops under Attila.Di Rocco A. (2009) Année 451 : la bataille qui sauva l'Occident. Eds. Thélès. pp. 156–158
Merovingian Francia NameDateLocationDeathsPerpetratorsNotesVienne massacreVienneUnknownForces of Gundobad and GodegiselTownspeople slaughtered during battle between competing Burgundian factions. Hostile Gallo-Roman senators and Godegisel's supporters executed by Gundobad's troops.Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges massacreSaint-Bertrand-de-CommingesUnknownKingdom of OrléansAll inhabitants, including priests, put to the sword by royal troops of Guntram
Carolingian Francia NameDateLocationDeathsPerpetratorsNotesSiege of Clermont (761)ClermontUnknownRoyal Frankish ArmyMen, women and children burned alive by Frankish army of King Pepin the Short.Sack of NantesNantesUnknownVikingsTown population and monks massacred and burned alive in a church by raiding Vikings. Others captured as slaves.Marmoutier massacreMarmoutier Abbey126Vikings126 monks killed by Vikings. 20 survivors escaped.
Capetian France NameDateLocationDeathsPerpetratorsNotesOrléans heresyOrléans10–20Robert II the Pious10–20 priests, nuns and lay people burned at the stake on orders of King Robert II of FranceRouen massacreRouenUnknownCrusadersJews of Rouen rounded up in the synagogue and systematically massacred by CrusadersTournai-sur-Dive massacreTournai-sur-Dive45Troops of Robert of Bellême45 people burned alive in a church by forces of Robert of BellêmeBougy-sur-Risle massacreRomilly-la-PuthenayeUnknownTroops of Waleran and Robert de BeaumontMen and women burned alive in a church by forces of Waleran and Robert de BeaumontVitry massacreVitry-en-Perthois1,300Royal Army1,300 people burned alive in a church by forces of King Louis VII of FranceHam massacreHam150Unknown150 Jews massacredVézelay massacreVézelay7Abbot of VézelaySeven Burgundian Cathars burned at the stakeBlois massacreBlois31Soldiers of Theobald V, Count of Blois31 Jews, including 17 women, locked in and burned alive in a house by Theobald V, Count of Blois on accusations of blood libelBray-sur-Seine massacreBray-sur-Seine80Royal Army80 Jews burned by French troops, acting on command of King Philip II of FranceMassacre at BéziersBéziers20,000CrusadersFirst major military action of the Albigensian Crusade.Siege of MinerveMinerve140CrusadersCathars burned at the stake by Crusaders.Alayrac massacreAlayracUnknownCrusadersStronghold garrison captured and massacred by CrusadersLavaur massacreLavaur480Crusaders80 knights hanged and stabbed to death, 400 Cathars burned by CrusadersLes Cassés massacreLes Cassés60–94Crusaders60–94 Cathars burned alive by Simon de Montfort's CrusadersSaint Marcel massacreSaint–Marcel28Crusaders28 male civilians killed or drowned by CrusadersLavelanet massacreLavelanetUnknownCrusadersInhabitants put to the sword by Crusader forces under Guy de Montfort, Lord of SidonMoissac massacreMoissac300Crusaders300 garrison soldiers executed without trial by CrusadersPujol massacreSainte-Foy-d'Aigrefeuille60Toulousain militia60 Crusaders killed in Pujol Castle by mob of soldiers under Roger-BernardCasseneuil massacreCasseneuilUnknownCrusadersPopulation and garrison massacredMassacre at MarmandeMarmande5,000Royal ArmyAll men, women and children in the town killed with swords and the town razed and burned to the ground by royal army under prince Louis.Labécède massacreLabécèdeUnknownCrusadersMen killed and Cathar Perfect burnt to death by Crusader forces of Humbert V de BeaujeuMoissac massacreMoissac210Papal Inquisition210 Cathars burned at the stake by Inquisitors William Arnald and Peter SeilaJewish massacresPoitou, Anjou and Brittany2,500–3,000CrusadersJews killed by CrusadersMontwimer massacreMontwimer183Papal Inquisition/Crusaders183 Cathars burned at the stake by Robert le Bougre and Thibaut IV of ChampagneCarcassonne massacreCarcassonne33Army of Raymond II Trencavel33 clerics massacred by forces of Trencavel after being promised safe passage from the besieged city.Avignonet massacreAvignonet11CatharsTwo Inquisitors and their nine followers massacred in their sleep by Cathar rebels under Pierre-Roger de MirepoixSiege of MontségurChâteau de Montségur210–215Royal ArmyCathars burned in a bonfire by the Royal Army.Agen massacreAgen80Papal Inquisition80 heretics burned at the stakeDijon massacreDijon139Shepherd Crusaders139 Jews massacredTroyes massacreTroyes13Papal Inquisition13 Jews burned at the stake by the Inquisition, supported by King Philip IV of FranceCastelsarrasin massacreCastelsarrasin152Shepherd Crusaders152 Jews massacred by PastoureauxToulouse massacreToulouse115–150Shepherd Crusaders115–150 Jews massacred by PastoureauxVitry massacreVitry-en-Perthois77Unknown77 Jews massacred during the 1321 leper scare. Forty Jews imprisoned and committed mass suicide.Chinon massacreChinon120–160Royal authorities120–160 Jews burned at the stake on accusation of well poisoning
Valois France NameDateLocationDeathsPerpetratorsNotesBattle of Caen (1346)Caen2,500–3,000English forcesThousands killed during the sack of the town by a force of 12,000 troops led by Edward III of EnglandToulon massacreToulon40MobJewish community of Toulon killed as part of the Black Death Jewish persecutionsJacquerieNorthern France20,000Peasants, aristocracy and nobilityPeasant Jacquerie rebels massacre hundreds of noblemen, women and children. Some 20,000 peasants are in turn exterminated by noblesSiege of LimogesLimoges200–400English forcesHundreds of civilians killed during a sack of the town by 3,200 troops under the command of Edward the Black PrinceBenon castle massacrePoitouUnknownRoyal ArmyEnglish garrison of Benon castle summarily executed by French troops led by Bertrand du GuesclinMaillotins RevoltParis30Maillotins30 people, including 16 Jews, killed by mobBattle of AgincourtCaenUnknownEnglish forcesFrench prisoners of war executed during the battle by troops under the command of Henry V of EnglandSiege of Caen (1417)Caen1,800–2,000English forcesBetween 1,800 and 2,000 civilians rounded up in the town marketplace and killed by troops led by Henry V of England, despite his orders against doing soParis massacres Paris1,000–5,000Parisian mobArmagnacs slaughtered by Parisian mobSiege of RougemontRougemont60English forcesFrench garrison hung or drowned on the orders of Henry V of EnglandSézanne massacreSézanneUnknownEnglish forcesMost inhabitants of the town killed during the sack of Sézanne by troops under the command of Thomas Montagu, 4th Earl of SalisburyBattle of JargeauJargeauUnknownRoyal ArmyEnglish prisoners executed by French troops under Joan of Arc and John II, Duke of AlençonSiege of ChaumontChaumont100Burgundian ArmyGarrison hanged by Philip the GoodVicques massacreVicquesUnknownMercenaries in English serviceMercenaries in English service kill a large number of NormansLihons massacreLihons300English forces300 men, women and children burned alive in a church by troops led by John Talbot after refusing to surrenderNesle massacreNesleUnknownBurgundian ArmyEntire population of Nesle slaughtered and town razed to the ground by Burgundian Army under Duke Charles the BoldLectoure massacreLectoureUnknownRoyal ArmyPopulation massacred and city looted, burned and methodically razed to the ground by royal troops under Cardinal Jean Jouffroy. Defeat of the house of Armagnac.Charles Samaran, La maison d’Armagnac au XVe siècle et les dernières luttes de la féodalité dans le Midi de la France, Paris, Alphonse Picard et fils, 1907, pp.193-194.Avesnes massacreAvesnesUnknownRoyal ArmyCivilian population completely exterminated and city destroyed by royal troops under Antoine de ChabannesMassacre of MérindolMérindol3,000Provençal/Papal troops3,000 Waldensians killed on order of Francis I of France. 670 sold as slaves, crops destroyed, herds killed and unknown number of peasants starved to deathAmboise conspiracyChâteau d'Amboise1,200–1,500Royal Army1,200–1,500 Protestant conspirators executed en massePierre Miquel, 1980, p.213, Robert Laffont. ed. Histoire et dictionnaire des guerres de religion 1998:61.Cahors massacreCahors40–50CatholicsHuguenots burned alive in their place of worship by CatholicsGrenade massacreGrenadeUnknownCatholicsHuguenots massacred by CatholicsCarcassonne massacreCarcassonne8Catholics3 Huguenots and 5 non-religious people massacred by CatholicsMassacre of VassyWassy80CatholicsMurder of Huguenots by forces of the Duc de Guise.Castelnaudary massacreCastelnaudary60CatholicsHuguenots burned alive in their place of worship by Catholics.Massacre of SensSens100Catholics100 Huguenots tied to poles and drowned by CatholicsOrange massacreOrangeUnknownCatholicsPopulation massacred by CatholicsGaillac massacreGaillac60–80CatholicsHuguenots captured and thrown in the river by CatholicsMornas massacreMornas200Protestants200 soldiers executed by ProtestantsTours massacreTours200Catholics200 Huguenots bludgeoned to death and thrown in the Loire by CatholicsLauzerte massacreLauzerte94Catholics94 Huguenots burned alive in a church by Catholics.Bar-sur-Seine massacreBar-sur-Seine300CatholicsCatholic soldiers massacre 300 people after reconquering the citadel from the HuguenotsMicheladeNîmes80–90ProtestantsCatholics killed by ProtestantsBondeville massacreNotre-Dame-de-Bondeville40CatholicsProtestants attacked by Catholic crowd. 40 killed.St. Bartholomew's Day massacreParis5,000–30,000French state/CatholicsHuguenots (French Protestants) were massacredAups massacreAups18Protestants18 killed by Protestant troops. Town looted and burned.First Issoire massacreIssoireUnknownProtestantsCatholics killed by Protestant troops under Matthieu Merle. Town looted.Second Issoire massacreIssoire3,000Royal Army3,000 surrendering Protestants massacred by royal troops under Francis, Duke of Anjou following orders from King Henry III of France. Town razed.Cuers massacreCuers600Peasant rebels600 nobles and gentlemen massacred by peasantsMack P. Holt, The French Wars of Religion, 1562-1629 (Cambridge University Press, 1995) p.112Mende massacreMende300Protestants300 Catholic townspeople massacred, mostly in the cathedral, by Protestant troops under Matthieu Merle"Léon Costecalde, Monographie illustré de la cathédrale de Mende (Imprimerie Ignon-Renouard, 1922) p.13 ("La nuit de Noel 1579, Mathieu Merle, chef des protestants cevenois, s'avanca vers Mende, a la feveur des tenebres, s'empara de la ville par trabison, y massacra 400 pretres ou fideles, la plupart, dans l'enceinte meme de la cathedrale."Romans massacreRomans-sur-Isère20Local patricians20 people massacred by patriciansMoirans massacreMoirans1,000Royal Army1,000 peasants massacred by royal troopsRéquista massacreRéquistaUnknownCatholicsCatholics kill Protestants
Bourbon France