2003 in France
Events from the year 2003 in France.
Incumbents
- President – Jacques Chirac
- Prime Minister – Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Events
- 3 March – Speech of Dominique de Villepin, UN against war in Iraq.
- 10 March – President Jacques Chirac promises to veto any UN resolution authorising war in Iraq.
- 11 April – Flactif family murders.
- May – Citroën launches the C3 Pluriel, a small convertible.
- 30 May – Last flight of Air France's Concorde between Paris and New York.
- 1 June – 29th G8 summit in Évian-les-Bains starts, with tight security and tens of thousands of protesters.
- 7 July – Corsica voters reject a referendum for increased autonomy from France by a very narrow margin.
- 11 August – A heat wave in Paris causes temperatures up to 44 °C.
- September – Citroën cease production of the decade-old Saxo to be replaced by the 3-door C2. The Peugeot 106 also ceases production by this time.
- 24 October – The Concorde makes its last commercial flight.
- 24 December – At the request of the United States Embassy in Paris, the French Government orders Air France to cancel several flights between France and the U.S. in response to terrorist concerns.
Births
- 19 May – Malo Gusto, footballer
- 24 August – Alexandre Coste, illegitimate son of Albert II, Prince of Monaco.
- 17 November - Luce Douady, climber
Deaths
January to March
- 11 January – Maurice Pialat, film director, screenwriter and actor.
- 19 January – Françoise Giroud, journalist, screenwriter, writer and politician.
- 30 January – Paul-André Meyer, mathematician.
- 10 February – Alfred Aston, international soccer player.
- 20 February – Maurice Blanchot, writer, philosopher, and literary theorist.
- 22 February – Daniel Toscan du Plantier, film critic.
- 24 February – Bernard Loiseau, chef.
- 28 February – Albert Batteux, international soccer player and manager.
- 4 March – Sébastien Japrisot, author, screenwriter and film director.
- 14 March – Jean-Luc Lagardère, engineer and businessman.
April to June
- 7 April – Cecile de Brunhoff, storyteller.
- 17 April – Jean-Pierre Dogliani, soccer player.
- 18 April – Jean Drucker, journalist.
- 23 April – Fernand Fonssagrives, photographer.
- 12 May – Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
- 23 May – Jean Yanne, humorist, actor and film director.
- 24 May – François Boyer, screenwriter.
- 25 May – Laurette Séjourné, archeologist and ethnologist.
- 27 May – Jacques Henri-Labourdette, architect.
- 29 May – Pierre Restany, art critic and cultural philosopher.
- 31 May – Nicolas Barone, cyclist.
- 7 June – Georges Pichard, comics artist.
- 13 June – Guy Lux, game show host and producer.
July to September
- 4 July – André Claveau, singer.
- 18 July – Marc Camoletti, playwright.
- August – Christian Boussus, tennis player.
- 1 August – Marie Trintignant, actress.
- 9 August – Jacques Deray, film director.
- 27 August – Pierre Poujade, politician.
- 31 August – Pierre Cahuzac, soccer player.
- 27 September – Jean Lucas, motor racing driver.
October to December
- 15 October – Pierre Chanal, soldier and suspected serial killer.
- 16 November – Bettina Goislard, United Nations worker.
- 21 October – Jean Hélène, journalist.
- 22 October – Philippe Ragueneau, journalist and writer.
- 26 November – Stefan Wul, writer.
- 6 December – Paul-Louis Halley, billionaire businessman.
- 25 December – Francine Lancelot, dancer, choreographer and dance historian.
- 26 December – Georges Boudarel, academic and Communist militant.
- December – Guy Héraud, politician and lawyer.