Bruno Paulin Gaston Paris (French pronunciation: [ɡastɔ̃ paʁis]; 9 August 1839 – 5 March 1903) was a French literary historian, philologist, and scholar specialized in Romance studies and medieval French literature. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1901, 1902, and 1903.
Nicolas Ghesquière (French pronunciation: [nikɔla ʒɛskjɛʁ]; born 9 May 1971) is a French-Belgian fashion designer who has been the women's creative director of the house of Louis Vuitton (owned by LVMH) since 2013.
Christophe Martichon (French pronunciation: [kʁistɔf maʁtiʃɔ̃]; born 16 October 1975), better known by his stage name Christophe Maé (pronounced [kʁistɔf mae]), is a French pop singer.
Germain Marie Bernard Nouveau (French pronunciation: [ʒɛʁmɛ̃ maʁi bɛʁnaʁ nuvo]; 1851–1920) was a French poet associated with the symbolist movement.
Jean-Marie Poiré (French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃ maʁi pwaʁe]; born 10 July 1945), also credited as Jean-Marie Gaubert, is a French film director, and screenwriter. He is the son of the producer Alain Poiré.
Éric Serra (French: [eʁik sɛʁa]; born 9 September 1959) is a French composer. He is a frequent collaborator of film director Luc Besson.
François Robert Velter (French: [vɛltɛʁ]; 9 February 1909 – 27 April 1991), known by his pen-name Rob-Vel ([ʁɔbvɛl]), was a French cartoonist. He is best known for creating the character Spirou in 1938.
Renaud Pierre Manuel Séchan (French pronunciation: [ʁəno pjɛʁ manɥɛl seʃɑ̃]; born 11 May 1952 in Paris), known as Renaud, is a French singer-songwriter.
With twenty-six albums to his credit, selling nearly twenty million copies, he is one of France's most popular singers. Several of his songs are popular classics in France, including the sea tale "Dès que le vent soufflera", the irreverent "Laisse béton", the ballad "Morgane de toi" and the nostalgic "Mistral gagnant". His songs, with their slang lyrics and idiosyncratic Parisian phrasing, deal with both light and serious themes, alternating humor, emotion, and social criticism.
Although he enjoyed great success in France in the 70s, 80s and 90s, his career took a roller-coaster ride thereafter, with the singer regularly falling victim to depression and alcoholism, ailments he recounts in various songs. His work remains little known outside the French-speaking world.
He also appeared in several films, including Claude Berri's adaptation of Germinal in 1993.
Although his political stance has provoked controversy, he has nicknamed himself "le chanteur énervant" (the irritating singer), due to his many commitments to causes such as human rights, ecology, and anti-militarism, which are frequently reflected in his songs.
Commandant Caroline Aigle (French pronunciation: [kaʁɔlin ɛɡl] ) (12 September 1974 – 21 August 2007) was a French aviator who achieved a historical first when, at the age of 25, she became the first woman fighter pilot in the French Air Force. Her promising military career was cut short by death from cancer seven years later. She was posthumously awarded the Médaille de l'Aéronautique (Aeronautics Medal).
Jean-Marie Bigard (French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃ maʁi biɡaʁ]; born 17 May 1954) is a French comedian and actor. Known for his often controversial humour, he has performed at some of the largest entertainment facilities in France, including the Paris-Bercy Arena and Stade de France. Bigard is a close friend of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whom he accompanied on an official visit to Pope Benedict XVI in Rome.