1740 in France

Events from the year 1740 in France

Incumbents

 * Monarch – Louis XV

Events

 * Vincennes porcelain factory established.
 * Approximate date − The mystical tradition called Martinism is established as a masonic high-degree order.

Births

 * 12 April − Claude André Deseine, sculptor (d. 1823)
 * 26 April − Jean-Jacques Paulet, mycologist (d. 1826)
 * 2 June − Marquis de Sade, nobleman, revolutionary politician, philosopher and writer (d. 1814)
 * 6 June − Louis-Sébastien Mercier, dramatist and writer (d. 1814)
 * 10 July − Louis-Étienne Ricard, politician (d. 1840)
 * 27 July − Jeanne Baret, first woman to circumnavigate the globe (d. 1807)

Full date missing

 * Catherine Éléonore Bénard, noble (d. 1769)
 * François Cointeraux, architect (d. 1830)
 * Jean Baptiste François de La Villéon, vice-admiral

Deaths

 * 27 January − Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon, Prime Minister of France (born 1692)
 * 15 February − Nicolas Prosper Bauyn d'Angervilliers, politician (born 1675)
 * 2 March − John Gagnier, orientalist (born 1670?)
 * July − Jacques Barbel, French soldier in Canada (born c.1670)

Full date missing

 * Jacques Cassard, naval officer (born 1679)
 * Pierre Crozat, art collector (born 1665)
 * Jean Soanen, bishop (born 1647)