2019 in France

This article lists major events that happened in 2019 in France.

Incumbents President – Emmanuel Macron (REM) Prime Minister – Édouard Philippe (LR)

Events January 12 January – 2019 Paris explosion: An explosion occurs at a bakery on Rue de Trevise in Paris' 9th arrondissement, killing four people and injuring forty-seven others. 14 January – The Brest University Hospital Center becomes the first hospital in the world to acquire a PET scan. 15 January – Launch of the Great National Debate 22 January – Signing of the Aachen Treaty in Aachen, 56 years to the day after the signing of the Élysée Treaty

February 5 February – February 2019 Paris fire: A suspected arson at an apartment block on Rue Erlanger in Paris' 16th arrondissement kills ten people, making it the deadliest fire in Paris since 2005. 6 February – Matthieu Orphelin, member of the French National Assembly for Maine-et-Loire's 1st constituency, close to the former minister of ecology Nicolas Hulot, leaves the LREM's parliamentary group to protest against the government's ecological policy. 7 February – Following the growing diplomatic tensions between the French government and the Italian government, the French ambassador to Italy, Christian Masset is recalled to France. 8 February – 34th Victoires de la Musique 13 February – Alain Juppé, Jacques Mézard and François Pillet are proposed to enter the Constitutional Council to replace Lionel Jospin, Michel Charasse and Jean-Jacques Hyest 25th Victoires de la musique classique 19 February – Alexandre Benalla is remanded for violating the judicial review he was subjected to. 22 February – 44th César Awards 24 February – Nearly 2000 hectares ravaged by 49 fire departures in less than 24 hours in Corsica. 25 February – The Secretary of State for the Digital Sector, Mounir Mahjoubi, reveals that an attack on the central Internet directory ICANN is underway.

March 2 March – Riots in Grenoble, due to the death of two teenagers riding a scooter who collided with a bus while being pursued by a police patrol. 12 March – Cargo ship Grande America sinks after catching fire on 10 March in the Bay of Biscay, approximately west of France, causing a 2,200-tonne oil spill. 16 March – Yellow vests movement: Protests against President Emmanuel Macron enter a fourth month in Paris. Tear gas is fired at protesters throwing stones at riot police in front of the Arc de Triomphe, news stands are torched at the Champs-Élysées, and a branch of Banque Tarneaud is burned. More than 80 arrests are made. Businesses around the Champs-Élysées are looted. 27 March – Nathalie Loiseau, Benjamin Griveaux and Mounir Mahjoubi leave the government. 31 March – Amélie de Montchalin, Sibeth Ndiaye and Cédric O enter the government to replace the previous three.

April

15 April – A major fire engulfs Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, resulting in the roof and main spire collapsing.

May

14 May – National tribute to Cédric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, soldiers killed during the fight of Gorom-Gorom. Beginning of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival 24 May – The explosion of a parcel bombed in Lyon injures 14 people. 26 May – 2019 European Parliament election

June

5 June – Valérie Pécresse, president of the Regional Council of Île-de-France and Robin Reda member of the French National Assembly for Essonne's 7th constituency quit The Republicans. 6 June – Commemorations mark the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings. 7 June – A SNSM boat capsizes in front of Les Sables d'Olonne during a rescue mission of a fisherman caught in the Storm Miguel. 3 rescuers and the fisherman drown. Aina Kuric, member of the French National Assembly for Marne's 2nd constituency, quits the LREM, having been a prominent critic of the asylum-immigration bill proposed by the government in July 2018, but stays within the LREM's parliamentary group. Beginning of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. 9 June – A driver refuses to obey a check and hits 2 children in Lorient after a chase, one of whom dies of his injuries. 12 June – Sandrine Josso, member of the French National Assembly for Loire-Atlantique's 7th constituency, quits LREM and the LREM parliamentary group to join the Liberties and Territories group. 22 June – Steve Maia Caniço's case begins after the latter's disappearance following a police charge against a group of party-goers. 24 June – France is affected by the early European heat wave, absolute temperature records are beaten. Bouches-du-Rhône, Gard, Hérault and Vaucluse have been put under red alert due to potentially very dangerous temperatures. On 25 June Paris reaches its hottest July day on record, with a temperature of 42.6 °C. 24 June – Agnès Thill, member of the French National Assembly for Oise's 2nd constituency, is excluded from LREM and the LREM's parliamentary group following homophobic remarks. 27 June – The 2019 National Diploma session, originally scheduled for 27 and 28 June, is postponed to 1 and 2 July due to the extreme heat.

July 6 July – Death of Patricia Gallerneau, member of the French National Assembly for Vendée's 2nd constituency. She is replaced by her substitute. 7 July - Murder of Johanna Blanes 6 to 28 July c 2019 Tour de France. 11 July – After a decade, the end of Vincent Lambert case following the death of the latter, who had been brain dead for 10 years. 16 July – Resignation of the Minister of Ecological and Solidarity Transition François de Rugy following Mediapart's revelations of his use of public funds. Élisabeth Borne succeeds him.

August 2 August – Crash of a Tracker 22, water bomber plane, near Générac. Franck Chesneaux, a former fighter pilot and a Tracker 22's pilot, died in an operation fighting major fires around Générac. During his national tribute, he is awarded the Legion of Honour and the Medal for internal security (gold medal), posthumously. 4 August – Franky Zapata becomes the first person to fly over English Channel on his own invention, the Flyboard Air. 6 August – Jean-Mathieu Michel, Mayor of Signes, is overturned by a van that illegally deposited rubble on the side of the road. The mayor will die soon after. 28 August – A chemical accident injures 14 people, two of them seriously, in a company located in Avon and Samois-sur-Seine. Emmanuel Macron nominates Sylvie Goulard as candidate for France as European Commissioner.

September

3 September – Jean-Paul Delevoye and Jean-Baptiste Djebbari enter the government. 8 September – A fire ravages 300 hectares and a house in Loupian. 9 September – Albane Gaillot, member of the French National Assembly for Val-de-Marne's 11th constituency, quits the LREM, deploring the vote on "laws restricting individual freedoms". 13 September – The mayor of Levallois-Perret Patrick Balkany is sentenced to 4 years in prison with immediate incarceration and 10 years of ineligibility for tax evasion, after a highly publicized three-month trial. 26 September – Rouen Lubrizol factory fire : Fire in a chemical factory of the company Lubrizol classified Seveso II high threshold ("high risk"). A thick plume of black smoke forms, reaching more than 20 km. As part of the management of the accident, various measures are taken for the protection of the population (confinement, school closures, suspension of certain agricultural activities, etc.). 29 September – popular tribute to Jacques Chirac, who died on 26 September; then national mourning and funeral on 30 September.

October 3 October – Paris police headquarters stabbing 28 October – Bayonne mosque shooting

November

11 November – the War Memorial for France in External Operations is inaugurated in Paris. 25 November – 2019 Ménaka mid-air collision: a collision between two helicopters results in the death of 13 French soldiers in Mali. 29 November – Pascale Fontenel-Personne, member of the French National Assembly for Sarthe's 3rd constituency, quits LREM, following her disagreement with the functioning of the party.

December

5 December – Start of a social movement (numerous strikes and demonstrations) to protest against a reform of the pension system. 14 December – Miss France 2020. 16 December – Resignation of Jean-Paul Delevoye, High Commissioner for Pensions. 18 December – Laurent Pietraszewski is appointed Secretary of State for Pensions. 31 December –final shutdown of the Longwave transmitter Europe 1.

Deaths

January

3 January Roger Bastié, French rugby coach and player (b. 1932) Anne-Marie Minvielle, French journalist (b. 1943) Christine de Rivoyre, French journalist and writer (b. 1921) 7 January Guy Charmot, French military doctor and member of the French resistance during World War II (b. 1914) Aline Kiner, French journalist and novelist (b. 1959) Bernard Tchoullouyan, French judoka (b. 1953) 8 January – Pierre Barillet, French playwright (b. 1923) 10 January Patrick Malrieu, French activist of Breton traditional culture (b. 1945) René Mouille, French aeronautical and space engineer (b. 1924) 11 January – Michel Dejouhannet, French professional road bicycle racer (b. 1935) 13 January Pierre Alard, French athlete (b. 1937) Guy Sénac, French footballer (b. 1932) 15 January – José Souto, French professional footballer and manager (b. 1959) 16 January – Denis Sire, French comics artist and illustrator (b. 1953) 20 January – François Perrot, French actor (b. 1924) 21 January Marcel Azzola, French accordionist (b. 1927) Henri, Count of Paris, Head of the House of Orléans (b. 1933) 26 January Jean Guillou, French composer, organist, and pianist (b. 1930) Michel Legrand, French composer (b. 1932) 27 January – Henry Chapier, French journalist (b. 1933) 29 January – Jean-Pierre Boccardo, French sprinter (b. 1942) 31 January Pierre Nanterme, French business executive (b. 1959) Georges Sarre, French politician (b. 1935)

February

4 February Sandrine Doucet, French politician (b. 1959)Gironde : l’ex députée PS Sandrine Doucet est décédée Véronique Schiltz, French archaeologist and historian of art (b. 1942) 9 February – Tomi Ungerer, French illustrator (b. 1931) 14 February – Michel Bernard, French middle- and long-distance runner (b. 1931) 16 February – Serge Merlin, French actor (b. 1933) 18 February – Jean Périsson, French conductor (b. 1924) 19 February – Marie-Claire Bancquart, French poet (b. 1932) 21 February – Jean-Christophe Benoît, French baritone (b. 1925) 25 February – Roland Leroy, French journalist and politician (b. 1926) 27 February Pierrette Fleutiaux, French writer (b. 1941)Mort De La Romanciére Pierette Fleutiaux, Prix Femina 1990 Michel Sainte-Marie, French politician (b. 1938)Gironde : Michel Sainte-Marie, l’emblématique maire de Mérignac est décédé

March

5 March – Jacques Loussier, French pianist and composer (b. 1934) 6 March – Guillaume Faye, French journalist and writer (b. 1949) 8 March – Raoul Barrière, French rugby union player and coach (b. 1928) 9 March Patrick Grandperret, French film director (b. 1946) Robert Lemaître, French professional footballer (b. 1929) Pierre de Saintignon, French politician (b. 1948) 15 March Dominique Noguez, French writer (b. 1942) Jean-Pierre Richard, French writer and literary critic (b. 1922) 16 March – Yann-Fañch Kemener, French Breton's traditional singer (b. 1957) 17 March – René Fontès, French rugby executive and politician (b. 1941) 18 March – Marcel-Pierre Cléach, French politician (b. 1934) 23 March – Jacques Dessemme, French basketball player (b. 1925) 26 March Michel Bacos, French pilot (b. 1924 François Dubanchet, French politician (b. 1923) 27 March – Pierre Bourguignon, French politician (b. 1942) 28 March – Pierre Lacroix, French rugby union player (b. 1935) 29 March – Agnès Varda, French film director (b. 1928) 30 March – Maurice Hardouin, French professional footballer (b. 1947)

April

1 April – Caravelli, French conductor and composer (b. 1930)