1952 in France

Events from the year 1952 in France.

Incumbents

 * 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.
 * 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)
 * 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)

Full date unknown

 * Didier Dubois, mathematician
 * René Renou, wine expert (died 2006)
 * 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)