Learn about important dates in French and francophone history: famous birthdays, holidays and celebrations, and other milestones. If the above does not match today's date or you wish to choose a specific date, please click here.

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Birthdays

1543 - Charles II, Duke of Lorraine

1612 - Paul Chomedey, sieur de Maisonneuve (French military officer, explorer, and founder of Montréal)

1620 - François Charpentier (French archaeologist)

1705 - Charles-André van Loo (French painter)

1710 - King Louis XV of France

1739 - Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart (French architect)

1809 - André Dumont (Belgian geologist)

1861 - Charles Edouard Guillaume (French physicist)

1899 - Georges Auric (French composer)

1904 - Antonin Magne (French cyclist)

1907 - Jean Langlais (French composer and organist)

Deaths

1847 - Germinal Pierre Dandelin (French-born Belgian mathematician, engineer, and soldier)

1849 - Pierre François Verhulst (Belgian mathematician)

Holidays/Celebrations

Canada - Flag Day

Vanuatu - John Frum Day

Milestones/Events

1764 - Pierre Laclède Liguest founded St.

Louis, Missouri

1961 - Belgium: Sabena Flight 548 crashed, killing 73 people

Errors and Omissions

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