1981 In France

Events from the year 1981 in France.

Incumbents

* President: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (until 21 May), François Mitterrand (starting 21 May)
* Prime Minister: Raymond Barre (until 21 May), Pierre Mauroy (starting 21 May)

Events

*24 April – French presidential election: A first-round runoff results between Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and François Mitterrand.
*10 May – Presidential Election won by François Mitterrand.
*21 May – François Mitterrand becomes the first socialist President of the French Fifth Republic.
*14 June – Legislative Election held.
*21 June – Legislative Election held.
*September – Launch of the Renault 9, a small-four door family saloon with front-wheel drive which falls into the Renault range between the R14 and R18 model ranges. It will share a floorpan with a new hatchback model to replace the R14 from early 1983.
*18 September – France abolishes capital punishment, four years after its final execution.
*27 September – TGV high speed rail service between Paris and Lyon begins.
* December – The Renault 9 is voted European Car of the Year.
*1 December – Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308 McDonnell Douglas MD-81 crashes into mountains in Corsica, killing 173 passengers and 7 crew.

Births

January to March

*4 January – Jean-Baptiste Paternotte, soccer player.
*5 January – Sébastien Duthier, soccer player.
*8 January – Mathieu Jost, ice dancer.
*14 January – Myriam Baverel, taekwondo practitioner and Olympic medallist.
*17 January – Thierry Ascione, tennis player.
*17 January – Christophe Riblon, cyclist.
*19 January – Mathieu Maton, soccer player.
*21 January – Florent Lacasse, athlete.
*26 January – Edwin Ouon, soccer player.
*1 February – David Martot, soccer player.
*8 February – Bertrand Grospellier, pro gamer and poker player.
*15 February – Nicolas Rostoucher, swimmer.
*20 February – Nicolas Penneteau, soccer player.
*22 February – Élodie Yung, actress
*26 February – Jean-Pascal Mignot, soccer player.
*28 February
** Nicolas Puydebois, soccer player.
**Florent Serra, tennis player
*8 March – Laurent Pichon, soccer player.
*16 March – Julien Mazet, cyclist.
*18 March – Maxime Grésèque, rugby league player.
*20 March – Sylvain Monsoreau, soccer player.
*21 March – Sébastien Chavanel, cyclist.

April to June

*6 April – Sébastien Grégori, soccer player.
*13 April – Hassan Ahamada, soccer player.
*16 April – Olivier Sorin, soccer player.
*23 April – Vincent Bernardet, soccer player.
*26 April – Matthieu Delpierre, soccer player.
*2 May – Sébastien Maillard, athlete.
*3 May – Benoît Cheyrou, soccer player.
*7 May – Vincent Clerc, international rugby union player.
*9 May – Ludwig Briand, actor.
*9 May – Florine De Leymarie, Alpine skier.
*13 May – Jonathan Joseph-Augustin, soccer player.
*15 May – Patrice Evra, international soccer player.
*22 May – Laurent Mangel, cyclist.
*25 May – Thibault Giresse, soccer player.
*2 June – Nicolas Plestan, soccer player.
*7 June – David Attoub, rugby union player.
*13 June – Guy Demel, soccer player.
*16 June – Sébastien Roudet, soccer player.
*30 June – Geoffroy Lequatre, cyclist.

July to September

*15 July – Alou Diarra, soccer player.
*19 July – Grégory Vignal, soccer player.
*20 July – Jérôme Blanchard, pair skater.
*28 July – Mathieu Béda, soccer player.
*28 July – Vincent Restencourt, figure skater.
*30 July – Sébastien Vaugeois, soccer player.
*31 July – Sophie Duarte, athlete.
*4 August – Frédérick Bousquet, swimmer.
*6 August – Lucie Décosse, judoka.
*12 August – Djibril Cissé, soccer player.
*14 August – Adamo Coulibaly, soccer player.
*20 August – Bernard Mendy, soccer player.
*24 August – Hervé Bugnet, soccer player.
*30 August – Grégory Béranger, soccer player.
*3 September – Gautier Capuçon, cellist.
*4 September – Gilles Rondy, swimmer.
*16 September – Aurélien Boche, soccer player.
*28 September – Loïc Loval, soccer player.
*29 September – Julien Cardy, soccer player.

October to December

*2 October – Jean-Félix Dorothée, soccer player.
*4 October – Lionel Mathis, soccer player.
*9 October – Gaël Givet, soccer player.
*12 October – Guillaume Boussès