1952 in France

• President: Vincent Auriol • President of the Council of Ministers: • until 20 January: René Pleven • 20 January-8 March: Edgar Faure • starting 8 March: Antoine Pinay ==Events==

• 25 February – Battle of Hòa Bình ends in defeat for French forces by the Việt Minh in Vietnam. • 1 October – Operation Bretagne begins in Vietnam. • 19 October – Alain Bombard begins to sail from Canary Islands to Barbados in 65 days; he reaches them 23 December. • 29 October – Operation Lorraine begins. • October – Battle of Nà Sản begins. • 8 November – Operation Lorraine ends with no decisive result. • 2 December – Battle of Nà Sản ends in French victory. • Luxury brand Givenchy is founded by fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy. ==Arts and literature==

• 1 June – Roman Catholic Church bans books of André Gide. ==Sport==

• 25 June – Tour de France begins. • 19 July – Tour de France ends, won by Fausto Coppi of Italy. ==Births==

• 25 January – Sara Mandiano, singer and songwriter. • 2 February – Christiane Taubira, politician. • 4 February – Gabriel Yacoub, musician and visual artist. (died 2025) • 15 February – Dominique Mouillot, business leader. • 26 March – Didier Pironi, motor racing driver (died 1987) • 27 March – Maria Schneider, actress (died 2011) • 1 April – Bernard Stiegler, philosopher (died 2020) • 2 April – Thierry Le Luron, impersonator and humorist (died 1986) • 23 April – Jean-Dominique Bauby, journalist, author and editor (died 1997) • 11 May – Renaud, singer • 31 May – Carole Achache, writer, photographer and actress (died 2016) • 3 June – Dominique Laffin, actress (died 1985) • 7 June – Hubert Auriol, motor racing driver (died 2021) • 16 June – René Renou, wine expert (died 2006) • 27 June – Lydia Schenardi, politician and Member of the European Parliament • 16 July – Jean Paul Gaultier, fashion designer • 31 August – Edwy Plenel, journalist and editor of Le Monde • 23 October – Pierre Moerlen, drummer and percussionist (died 2005) • 25 October – Florence Picaut, athlete • October – François Ovide, guitarist (died 2002) • 4 December – Farid Chopel, actor, comedian and singer (died 2008) • 7 December – Gisèle Pelicot, mass rape victim • 12 December – Roland Roche, alpine skier Full date unknown • Didier Dubois, mathematician • Françoise Thébaud, historian, professor emeritus ==Deaths==

• 11 January – Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, general, military hero of World War II (born 1889) • 18 May – Henry Bérenger, diplomat (born 1867) • 16 July – Jean Chantavoine, musicologist and biographer (born 1877) • 3 November – Louis Verneuil, playwright and screenwriter (born 1893) • 18 November – Paul Éluard, poet (born 1895) • 19 November – Marcel Henriot, World War I flying ace (born 1896) • 27 November – Abel Lefranc, literary historian (born 1863) • 5 December – André Lefaur, actor (born 1879) • Full date unknown • Gabrielle Petit (feminist), feminist activist, anticlerical, libertarian socialist, and newspaper editor (born 1860) ==See also==