List of Famous people born in France

Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter was an English military commander during the Hundred Years' War, and briefly Chancellor of England. He was the third of the four children born to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford. To overcome their problematic parentage, his parents were married in 1396, and he and his siblings were legitimated on two separate occasions, in 1390 and again in 1397. He married the daughter of Sir Thomas Neville of Hornby, Margaret Neville, who bore him one son, Henry Beaufort. However, the child died young.

Guy Rétoré was a French director.

Beer Léon Fould was a French-Jewish banker, and the founder of the Fould banking dynasty.

Jean-François Deniau was a French politician, diplomat, essayist and novelist. Until 1998, he was a member of the Union for French Democracy (UDF).

Herleva was an 11th-century Norman woman known for having been mother of William the Conqueror, born to an extramarital relationship with Robert I, Duke of Normandy, and also of William's prominent half-brothers Odo of Bayeux and Robert, Count of Mortain, born to Herleva's marriage to Herluin de Conteville.

Bruno Spengler is an Alsatian-born Canadian racing driver, currently racing for the BMW factory/works team. Nicknamed 'The Secret Canadian', he won the 2012 DTM Drivers' Championship.

Henri Gervex was a French painter who studied painting under Alexandre Cabanel, Pierre-Nicolas Brisset and Eugène Fromentin.

Léon Daudet was a French journalist, writer, an active monarchist, and a member of the Académie Goncourt.

Pascal Pereira-Leal is a former French para table tennis player who played in international level events. He is a 2012 Paralympic bronze medalist, 2014 World champion and four-time European medalist.