1740 in France

Incumbents

• Monarch - Louis XV

  Events

• The mystical tradition called Martinism was established as a masonic high-degree system around 1740

  Births

• 26 April − Jean-Jacques Paulet, mycologist
• 2 June − Marquis de Sade, nobleman, revolutionary politician, philosopher and writer
• 6 June − Louis-Sébastien Mercier, dramatist and writer

  Full date missing

• Catherine Éléonore Bénard, noble
• François Cointeraux, architect
• Claude André Deseine, sculptor
• Jean Baptiste François de La Villéon, vice-admiral.

  Deaths

• July − Jacques Barbel, French soldier in Canada.

  Full date missing

• Jacques Cassard, naval officer
• Pierre Crozat, art collector.
• Jean Soanen, bishop
• Nicolas Prosper Bauyn d'Angervilliers, politician
• John Gagnier, orientalist