2002 in France

Incumbents

• President: Jacques Chirac
• Prime Minister: Lionel Jospin, Jean-Pierre Raffarin

  Events

• 1 January – the Euro replaces the French franc as France's currency.
• 6 March – France agrees to return the remains of Saartjie Baartman to South Africa.
• 21 April – first round of the presidential election: Jacques Chirac and Jean-Marie le Pen poll the most votes. Two weeks of demonstrations against the National Front follow.
• 5 May – second round of the presidential election. Jacques Chirac returns for a second term as President of the French Republic.
• 6 May – nomination of Jean-Pierre Raffarin for the post of Prime Minister.
• 9 June – first round of the legislative elections
• 16 June – second round of legislative elections.
• 14 July – During Bastille Day celebrations, Jacques Chirac escapes an assassination attempt unscathed.
• November – Citroën launches a revised model of its popular Berlingo leisure activity vehicle.
• November – Renault launches the second generation of Mégane hatchback range of hatchbacks, estates, convertibles and saloons.
• December - The Renault Megane II is voted European Car of the Year.

  Arts and literature

Sport

• 6 July – Tour de France begins.
• 21 July – French Grand Prix won by Michael Schumacher of Germany.
• 28 July – Tour de France ends, won by Lance Armstrong of the United States.

  Births

Deaths

January to March

• 11 January – Henri Verneuil, playwright and filmmaker.
• 13 January – Pierre Joubert, illustrator.
• 23 January
• *Pierre Bourdieu, sociologist.
• *Maurice Limat, science fiction author.
• 13 February – Pauline Trigère, fashion designer.
• 14 February – Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz, member of the French Resistance and president of ATD Quart Monde.
• 21 February – Georges Vedel, public law professor.
• 12 March – Louis-Marie Billé, cardinal.
• 22 March – Marcel Hansenne, middle distance runner.

  April to June

• 19 April – Jean-Pierre Destrumelle, soccer player and manager.
• 22 May – Niki de Saint Phalle, sculptor, painter and filmmaker.
• 25 May – Michel Jobert, politician.
• 29 May – François Ovide, guitarist.
• 6 June – Bernard Destremau, tennis player.
• 12 June – Jean de Beaumont, sport shooter.
• 29 June – François Périer, actor.
• 30 June
• *Claude Berge, mathematician.
• *Roger Lévêque, cyclist.

  July to September

• 2 July – Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur, organist and composer.
• 3 July – Michel Henry, philosopher and novelist.
• 31 July – Claude Rifat, biologist, psychonaut, political activist, writer and researcher.
• 2 August – Jean-Pierre Yvaral, artist.
• 6 August – Jean Sauvagnargues, politician and Minister.
• 8 September – Henri Rol-Tanguy, communist and leader in the French Resistance.

  October to December

• 12 October – Audrey Mestre, free-diver.
• 25 October – René Thom, mathematician.
• 26 October – Jacques Massu, General.
• 31 October
• *Lionel Poilâne, boulanger and entrepreneur.
• *Raymond Savignac, graphic artist.
• 10 November – Michel Boisrond, film director and writer.
• 23 November – Maritie Carpentier, television producer.
• 29 November – Daniel Gélin, actor, director and screenwriter.

  Full date unknown

• Jacques Poirier, painter.