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', and that dipping the colors was a tradition. The incident is recorded in Leni Riefenstahl's 1938 film Olympia.
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
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
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 de Jammonières – Shooting, Men's Free Pistol
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
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, Géo 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
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
Three male pentathletes represented France in 1936.
André Chrétien
Béchir Bouazzat
Paul Lavanga
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
