Who Is The Greatest Person Of French Nationality or Ancestry In History?

[EagerBeaver]

I am curious about the thinking on this subject, especially in Montreal. Some of my poll choices are obvious, some not so obvious. If I missed someone I am sure you will let me know.

Obviously the criteria is 100% subjective.

 

[voyageur11]

I am curious about the thinking on this subject, especially in Montreal. Some of my poll choices are obvious, some not so obvious. If I missed someone I am sure you will let me know.

Obviously the criteria is 100% subjective.

Pierre Trudeau Maurice Richard are not French they are Canadian

 

[protagoras]

Several person come to mind. For example, Voltaire, Marcel Proust, Paul Valery (one of my favorite), Jean-Ignace Guillotin, L'Abbé Pierre, Jean-Marie LePen and naturally Louis Pasteur. But if I had to choose only one person it would be the Lumière twins: Auguste et Louis Luimère the founders of modern cinema.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Napoleon Bonaparte was from Corsica. He wasn't French.

I'm adding the names 'Charles de Gaulle', 'King Louis XIV' & 'Jules Verne' to the list.

 

[protagoras]

I fogot to mention Roberrt Surcouf, Jean Bart who were famous and intrepids pirates.
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Bart

Closer to us, Edouard Carpentier and Jean Guilda

 

[voyageur11]

Napoleon Bonaparte was from Corsica. He wasn't French.

I'm adding the names 'Charles de Gaulle', 'King Louis XIV' & 'Jules Verne' to the list.

Napoleon was born in 1769 and Corsica became a French région 20 years later

 

[cloudsurf]

Charlemagne (Charles the Great) is my choice.
BTW the question is of French Ancestry, so the Rocket, Trudeau (mixed French and Scotish) ancesty as well as Napoleon all qualify.
Protagoras.....Jean-Marie LePen ???? you aren`t serious, are you?

BTW Mod8 you are fast....lol

 

[Board Stiff]

Either Voltaire or Martin from XXXTASE

 

[protagoras]

Cloudsurf, I'm never totally serious and I'm never totally humoristic or sarcastic.

The thing with Jean-Marie Le Pen is that he is not afraid of expressing his thoughts. I like him (not his political views) because he is aganist political correctness. He is talking out loud what some people in France are afraid to say.

Speaking of French Culture, I cannot resist to post a link to this video by marion Cotillard on Forehead Titties.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnQw-ZsEaek

 

[eastender]

Edouard Carpentier

I fogot to mention Roberrt Surcouf, Jean Bart who were famous and intrepids pirates.
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Bart

Closer to us, Edouard Carpentier and Jean Guilda

Believe Edouard Carpentier is Polish, but with wrestling story lines you never know.

 

[EagerBeaver]

The poll question is about persons of French ancestry. Napoleon, Pierre Trudeau, Maurice Richard and Martin of XXXtase all qualify for the reasons previously stated.

 

[CS Martin]

I've always found Vercingetorix a facinating historical icon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vercingetorix

As I understand it, the Gauls were the ancestors of our Franciphone friends.

The Battle of Alesia is a classic historical conflict and is still studied all over the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Alesia

Some believe the battle marks the origin of the French as a people. Reasoning was, some historians claim it was the first time the Gallic Tribes fought together instead of fighting each other.

I would therefore submit his name for inclusion.

 

[Dee]

Sans aucun doute, Raël...

 

[wasisname]

Wouldn't William be Norse, Normans being decended from Vikings, and 1066 not being that far removed from when they took over Normandy.

 

[Mike Mercury]

Emile Zola is arguably the greatest author of all time.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Wouldn't William be Norse, Normans being decended from Vikings, and 1066 not being that far removed from when they took over Normandy.

William the Conqueror was born in Normandy and is widely credited with bringing French culture to England. We have French words in our language because of William.

When the British invaded Normandy in 1944 during World War II, they erected a memorial to William:

"An example of William's legacy even in modern times can be seen on the Bayeux Memorial, a monument erected by Britain in the Normandy town of Bayeux to those killed in the Battle of Normandy during World War II. A Latin inscription on the memorial reads NOS A GULIELMO VICTI VICTORIS PATRIAM LIBERAVIMUS – freely translated, this reads "We, once conquered by William, have now set free the Conqueror's native land."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_I_of_England

 

[Jean Kulasec]

Militaire:
Charles Martel, vainqueur des Maures à Poitiers ? Roland à Ronceveaux ? Ces deux-là ont changé l'histoire plus qu'un Bonaparte.

Politique:
Charlesmagne, avec une mention honorable pour Dagobert

Scientifique:
Pasteur

littérature:
Victor Hugo

 

[chateaulafite]

Pierre de Coubertin mérite d'être dans le TOP 10

 

[EagerBeaver]

Napoleon was born in 1769 and Corsica became a French région 20 years later

Napoleon's last words were: "France, armée, tête d'armée, Joséphine."("France, army, head of the army, Joséphine.").

Funny but he didn't mention Corsica or Italy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_I

 

[Mike Mercury]

Johnny Hallyday, Dick Rivers, Eddy Mitchel and Lucky Luke.