1961 in France

Events from the year 1961 in France.

Incumbents

 * President: Charles de Gaulle
 * Prime Minister: Michel Debré

Events

 * 8 January – French referendum on Algerian self-determination is approved by three-quarters of voters.
 * 18 March – A ceasefire takes effect in the Algerian War of Independence.
 * 21 April-26 April – Algiers putsch, failed coup d'état attempt organized by four retired French army generals.
 * 31 May
 * Rebel generals Maurice Challe and Andre Zelelr are sentenced to 15 years in prison.
 * President John F. Kennedy and Charles De Gaulle meet in Paris.
 * 17 June – A Paris-to-Strasbourg train derails near Vitry-le-François; 24 are killed, 109 injured.
 * 21 September – Organisation armée secrète (OAS) slips an anti-de Gaulle message into TV programming.
 * October – The Renault 4, a small estate car similar in concept to the Citroen 2CV saloon, is launched at the Paris Salon.
 * 10 October – Simca launches the Simca 1000, a small rear-engined four-door family saloon.
 * 17 October – Paris massacre, French police attacked an unarmed and peaceful demonstration of some 30,000 Algerians. Government acknowledged 40 deaths in 1998, although there are estimates of up to 200.
 * Fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent is launched by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé.

Arts and literature

 * 4 May – Phenomenological philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty dies, age 53, of a stroke, apparently while preparing for a class on Descartes.

Sport

 * 18 June – French Grand Prix won by Giancarlo Baghetti of Italy.
 * 25 June – Tour de France begins.
 * 19 July – Tour de France ends, won by Jacques Anquetil.

Births

 * 2 April – François Gernigon, politician
 * 15 April – José Anigo, soccer player and sporting director
 * 16 May – Solveig Dommartin, actress (died 2007)
 * 21 September – Philippe Anziani, soccer player and coach
 * 29 September – Jean-Marie Neff, racewalker
 * 9 October – Martial Fesselier, racewalker
 * 25 December – Ghislaine Maxwell, British socialite

Deaths

 * 3 May – Maurice Merleau-Ponty, phenomenological philosopher (born 1908)
 * 29 June – Georges Guillain, neurologist (born 1876)
 * 1 July – Louis-Ferdinand Céline, writer (born 1894)