Similar New Zealand's Top 100, De Grootste Nederlander, El Gen Argentino, Velikite Balgari, The Greatest American | ||
Le Plus Grand Français de tous les temps ("The Greatest Frenchman of all Time") was a France 2 show of early 2005, based on an original series of Great Britons on the BBC. The show asked the French viewers who they thought was the Greatest Frenchman or Frenchwoman. It was presented by Michel Drucker and Thierry Ardisson, and the final episode was broadcast at the French Senate.
The winner was the former president and leader of the Free French movement, Charles de Gaulle.
The show was criticized by some historians in that it focused only on personalities of recent French history. Key figures of French history who contributed to the founding of the French nation, such as the national heroine Joan of Arc, the kings Philip Augustus, Saint Louis, and Louis XIV or French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte were largely ignored.
From 11 to 100
11. Marcel Pagnol (1895-1974) - Novelist, playwright and film director.
12. Georges Brassens (1921-1981) - Singer and songwriter .
13. Fernandel (1903-1971) - Actor and comedian.
14. Jean de la Fontaine (1621-1695) - Poet and fabulist.
15. Jules Verne (1828-1905) – Science fiction author.
16. Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) – Military, political leader and Emperor.
17. Louis de Funès (1914-1983) - Actor and comedian.
18. Jean Gabin (1904-1976) - Actor.
19. Daniel Balavoine (1952-1986) - Singer, songwriter and musician.
20. Serge Gainsbourg (1928-1991) - Singer and songwriter.
21. Zinedine Zidane (1972) - Footballer.
22. Charlemagne (748-814) – King and emperor.
23. Lino Ventura (1919-1987) - Actor.
24. François Mitterrand (1916-1996) – President.
25. Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923) – Architect.
26. Émile Zola (1840-1902) - Novelist.
27. Sœur Emmanuelle (1908-2008) - Nun and humanitarian.
28. Jean Moulin (1899-1943) - Leader of French resistance during World War II.
29. Charles Aznavour (1924-) - Singer, songwriter and actor.
30. Yves Montand (1921-1991) - Actor and singer.
31. Jeanne d’Arc (1412-1431) – Military leader.
32. Général Leclerc (1902-1947) - Military leader.
33. Voltaire (1694-1778) – Philosopher and novelist.
34. Johnny Hallyday (1943-) - Singer.
35. Antoine de Saint Exupéry (1900-1944) - Aviator, novelist and poet .
36. Claude Francois (1939-1978) - Singer
37. Christian Cabrol - Cardiologist and surgeon
38. Jean-Paul Belmondo (1933-) - Actor
39. Jules Ferry (1832-1893) - Politician and Prime Minister
40. Louis Lumière - Inventor, film director
41. Michel Platini (1955-) - Footballer
42. Jacques Chirac (1932-) – President and Prime Minister
43. Charles Trenet (1913-2001) - Singer and songwriter
44. Georges Pompidou (1911-1974) – President and Prime Minister
45. Michel Sardou (1947-) - Singer
46. Simone Signoret (1921-1985) - Actress
47. Haroun Tazieff (1914-1998) - Vulcanologist
48. Jacques Prévert (1900-1977) - Poet
49. Éric Tabarly (1931-1998) - Sailor
50. Louis XIV (1638-1715) – King
51. David Douillet (1969-) - Judoka
52. Henri Salvador (1917-2008) - Singer and comedian
53. Jean-Jacques Goldman (1951-) - Singer, songwriter and musician
54. Jean Jaurès (1859-1914) - Politician
55. Jean Marais (1913-1998) - Actor and comedian
56. Yannick Noah (1960-) - Tennis player
57. Albert Camus (1913-1960) – Author and philosopher
58. Dalida (1933-1987) - Singer
59. Léon Zitrone (1914-1995) - Journalist
60. Nicolas Hulot (1955-) - Journalist
61. Simone Veil (1927-) - Politician
62. Alain Delon (1935-) - Actor
63. Patrick Poivre d'Arvor (1947-) - Journalist
64. Aimé Jacquet (1941-) - Footballer
65. Francis Cabrel (1953-) - Singer and songwriter
66. Brigitte Bardot (1934-) - Actress
67. Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) - Author
68. Alexandre Dumas, père (1802-1870) – Author and playwright
69. Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) – Novelist
70. Paul Verlaine (1844-1896) - Poet
71. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) – Author and philosopher
72. Maximilien de Robespierre (1758-1794) – Political leader
73. Renaud (1952-) - Singer and Songwriter
74. Bernard Kouchner (1938-) - Politician and humanitarian
75. Claude Monet (1840-1926) – Painter
76. Michel Serrault (1928-2007) - Actor
77. Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1941-1919) – Painter
78. Michel Drucker (1942) - Journalist
79. Raimu (1883-1946) - Actor and Comedian
80. Vercingetorix (c.82BC-46BC) - Chieftain who led resistance against the Roman army.
81. Raymond Poulidor (1936-) - Cyclist
82. Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867) – Poet
83. Pierre Corneille (1606-1684) - Playwright
84. Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891) - Poet
85. Georges Clemenceau (1854-1891) – Prime Minister, and journalist
86. Gilbert Bécaud (1927-2001) - Singer, songwriter and musician
87. José Bové (1953-) - Syndicalist
88. Jean Ferrat (1930-2010) - Singer and songwriter
89. Lionel Jospin (1937-) - Prime Minister
90. Jean Cocteau (1889-1963) - Dramatist, poet, playwright and filmmaker
91. Luc Besson (1959-) - Film director
92. Tino Rossi (1907-1983) - Singer
93. Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937) - Pedagogue and founder of the modern Olympic Games.
94. Jean Renoir (1894-1979) – Film director
95. Gérard Philipe (1922-1959) - Actor and comedian
96. Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) – Philosopher, novelist and playwright
97. Catherine Deneuve (1943-) - Actress
98. Serge Reggiani (1922-2004) - Actor, singer and comedian
99. Gérard Depardieu (1948-) - Actor
100. Françoise Dolto (1908-1988) - Psychoanalyst