1961 in France

Events from the year 1961 in France.

Incumbents

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.
29 August – A military aircraft clips a cable of the aerial tramway connecting Pointe Helbronner and the Aiguille du Midi in the French Alps. Three cars of the tramway fall, killing five people, but the remaining 63 cable car passengers are rescued and the pilot lands his plane safely.
21 September
*Organisation armée secrète slips an anti-de Gaulle message into TV programming.
*Fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent is launched by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in Paris.
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 attack an unarmed and peaceful demonstration of some 30,000 Algerians. Government acknowledges 40 deaths in 1998, although there are estimates of up to 200.
14 November – The Yves Saint Laurent luxury fashion brand is founded in Rue La Boetie, Paris, 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
21 June - Manu Chao, French-Spanish musician
2 July – Samy Naceri, French actor
21 September – Philippe Anziani, soccer player and coach
29 September – Jean-Marie Neff, racewalker
9 October – Martial Fesselier, racewalker
6 November – Florent Pagny, French singer and actor
25 December – Ghislaine Maxwell, British socialite

Deaths

3 May – Maurice Merleau-Ponty, phenomenological philosopher
29 June – Georges Guillain, neurologist
1 July – Louis-Ferdinand Céline, writer