France competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. 201 competitors, 190 men and 11 women, took part in 100 events in 18 sports.
It was notable for an incident during the opening ceremonies. During the March of the Nations (when each national team with its flag parades on the field), the entire French team gave a straight-arm salute as it passed the box of Adolf Hitler (head of state of the host country for that Olympics, Germany). The French flag was also dipped in such a way as to drag it in the dirt in front of Hitlers box. There was a storm of protest in France after the incident was reported there, and accusations were made that the French Olympic committee was pro-Nazi. The committee stated that the salute (resembling the salute of Germany's ruling Nazi party) was an 'Olympic salute' (similar to Roman salute), and that dipping the colors was a tradition. The incident is recorded in Leni Riefenstahl's 1938 film Olympia.
Medalists
Gold Jean Despeaux – Boxing, Men's Middleweight Roger Michelot – Boxing, Men's Light Heavyweight Robert Charpentier, Jean Goujon, Guy Lapébie, and Roger-Jean Le Nizerhy – Cycling, Men's 4.000m Team Pursuit Robert Charpentier – Cycling, Men's Individual Road Race Robert Charpentier, Robert Dorgebray, and Guy Lapébie – Cycling, Men's Team Road Race Louis Hostin – Weightlifting, Men's Light Heavyweight Emile Poilvé – Wrestling, Men's Freestyle Middleweight
Silver Henri Eberhardt – Canoeing, Men's F1 10.000m Folding Kayak Singles Pierre Georget – Cycling, Men's 1.000m Time Trial Guy Lapébie – Cycling, Men's Individual Road Race Gérard de Ballorre, Daniel Gillois, and André Jousseaume – Equestrian, Dressage Team Edward Gardère – Fencing, Men's Foil Individual René Bondoux, René Bougnol, Jaques Coutrot, André Gardère, Edward Gardère, and René Lemoine – Fencing, Men's Foil Team
Bronze Louis Chaillot – Cycling, Men's 1.000m Sprint (Scratch) Pierre Georget and Georges Maton – Cycling, Men's 2.000m Tandem Georges Buchard, Philippe Cattiau, Henri Dulieux, Michel Pécheux, Bernard Schmetz, and Paul Wormser – Fencing, Men's Épée Team Marceau Fourcade, Georges Tapie, and Noël Vandernotte – Rowing, Men's Coxed Pairs Marcel Chauvigné, Marcel Cosmat, Fernand Vandernotte, Marcel Vandernotte, and Noël Vandernotte – Rowing, Men's Coxed Fours Charles des Jammonières – Shooting, Men's Free Pistol
Athletics
Basketball
Boxing
Canoeing
Cycling
Eight cyclists, all men, represented France in 1936.
Individual road race Robert Charpentier Guy Lapébie Robert Dorgebray Jean Goujon
Team road race Robert Charpentier Guy Lapébie Robert Dorgebray Jean Goujon
Sprint Louis Chaillot
Time trial Pierre Georget
Tandem Pierre Georget Georges Maton
Team pursuit Robert Charpentier Jean Goujon Guy Lapébie Roger Le Nizerhy
Diving
Men AthleteEventFinalPointsRankRoger Heinkelé3 m springboard117.7212
Women AthleteEventFinalPointsRankCécile Lesprit-Poirier3 m springboard58.861610 m platform25.5620
Equestrian
Fencing
19 fencers, 16 men and 3 women, represented France in 1936.
Men's foil Edward Gardère André Gardère René Lemoine
Men's team foil André Gardère, Edward Gardère, René Lemoine, René Bondoux, Jacques Coutrot, René Bougnol
Men's épée Michel Pécheux Henri Dulieux
Men's team épée Philippe Cattiau, Bernard Schmetz, Georges Buchard, Michel Pécheux, Henri Dulieux, Paul Wormser
Men's sabre Marcel Faure Edward Gardère Jean Piot
Men's team sabre Marcel Faure, Maurice Gramain, Edward Gardère, Jean Piot, Roger Barisien, André Gardère
Women's foil Agathe Turgis Marguerite Reuche Andrée Boisson
Field hockey
Men's team competition Preliminary Round (Group C) Lost to the Netherlands (1–3) Defeated Switzerland (1–0) Drew with Belgium (2–2) Semi Finals Lost to India (0–10) Final Lost to the Netherlands (3–4) → Fourth Place
Gymnastics
Modern pentathlon
Three male pentathletes represented France in 1936.
André Chrétien Béchir Bouazzat Paul Lavanga
Rowing
France had 19 rowers participate in five out of seven rowing events in 1936.
Men's single sculls Henri Banos
Men's double sculls André Giriat Robert Jacquet
Men's coxed pair Georges Tapie Marceau Fourcade Noël Vandernotte (cox)
Men's coxed four Fernand Vandernotte Marcel Vandernotte Jean Cosmat Marcel Chauvigné Noël Vandernotte (cox)
Men's eight Émile Lecuirot Louis Devillié Henri Souharce Alphonse Bouton Camille Becanne Bernard Batillat Jean Cottez Marcel Charletoux Claude Lowenstein (cox)
Sailing
Shooting
Eight shooters represented France in 1936. Charles des Jammonières won a bronze medal in the 50 m pistol event.
25 m rapid fire pistol Élie Monnier Charles des Jammonières Édouard Lambert
50 m pistol Charles des Jammonières Marcel Bonin René Koch
50 m rifle, prone Jacques Mazoyer Raymond Durand Marcel Fitoussi
Swimming
Men Ranks given are within the heat. AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankClaude Desusclade100 m freestyle 1:07.2 5 Did not advanceRené Cavalero 1:02.2 5 Did not advanceJean Taris400 m freestyle 4:53.9 2 Q 4:53.6 3 Q 4:53.8 6Christian Talli1500 m freestyle 21:03.0 4 q 21:09.8 7 Did not advanceArtem NakacheChristian TalliRené CavaleroJean Taris4 × 200 m freestyle relay colspan=2 9:21.7 1 Q 9:18.2 4
Women Ranks given are within the heat. AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankRenée Blondeau100 m freestyle 1:10.9 5 Did not advanceLouisette Fleuret400 m freestyle 5:46.8 3 Q 5:46.1 5 Did not advanceThérèse Blondeau100 m backstroke 1:23.8 6 Did not advance
Water polo
Weightlifting
Wrestling
References
External links Official Olympic Reports International Olympic Committee results database