The Prix des Deux Magots is a major French

literary prize A literary award or literary prize is an award presented in recognition of a particularly lauded Literature, literary piece or body of work. It is normally presented to an author. Organizations Most literary awards come with a corresponding award ...

. It is presented to new works, and is generally awarded to works that are more off-beat and less conventional than those that receive the more mainstream

Prix Goncourt The Prix Goncourt (french: Le prix Goncourt, , ''The Goncourt Prize'') is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year". The prize carries a symbolic reward o ...

. The name derives from the extant Parisian

café A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...

Les Deux Magots Les Deux Magots () is a famous café and restaurant situated at 6, Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris's 6th arrondissement, France. It once had a reputation as the rendezvous of the literary and intellectual elite of the city. It is now a ...

", which began as a drapery store in 1813, taking its name from a popular play of the time, "The two figurines of China". It housed a wine merchant in the 19th century, and was refurbished in 1914 into a café.

Winners

*1933:

Raymond Queneau Raymond Queneau (; 21 February 1903 – 25 October 1976) was a French novelist, poet, critic, editor and co-founder and president of Oulipo ('' Ouvroir de littérature potentielle''), notable for his wit and cynical humour. Biography Queneau w ...

''Le Chiendent'' *1934:

Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes (June 19, 1884 – July 9, 1974) was a French writer and artist associated with the Dada movement. He was born in Montpellier and died in Saint-Jeannet. In addition to numerous early paintings, Ribemont-Dessaignes wro ...

''Monsieur Jean ou l'Amour absolu'' *1935:

Jacques Baron Jacques Baron (1905–1986) was a French surrealist poet whose first collection of poems was published in ''Aventure'' in 1921. Although he was initially involved with the Dada movement, he became a founding member of the Surrealist movement follow ...

''Charbon de Mer'' *1936: Michel Matveev ''Étrange Famille'' *1937: Georges Pillement ''Plaisir d'Amour'' *1938:

Pierre Jean Launay Pierre Jean Launay (December 27, 1900 – April 23, 1982) was a French writer. He was born in Carrouges in the Lower Normandy region. His novel '' Léonie la bienheureuse'' met with notable success, winning both the Prix Renaudot and the Prix d ...

''Léonie la Bienheureuse'' *1941: J. M. Aimot ''Nos mitrailleuses n'ont pas tiré'' *1942:

Olivier Séchan Olivier Séchan (January 14, 1911 – July 7, 2006) was a French writer most know for his children’s books. He was born in Montpellier and died in Paris at the age of 95. He was the son of Louis Séchan and brother of Edmond Séchan. Life and ...

''Les Corps ont soif'' *1944:

Jean Milo Jean Milo was the pseudonym of Belgian author and artist Émile Van Gindertael. He was born in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode during 1906 and died in 1993 at Rixensart. He was also a painter, poet, essayist and novelist. Biography From 1926 to 1931, J ...

'' L'Esprit de famille'' *1946: Jean Loubes ''Le Regret de Paris'' *1947: Paule Malardot ''L'Amour aux deux visages'' *1948: Yves Malartic ''Au Pays du Bon Dieu'' *1949:

Christian Coffinet Christian Coffinet (born 1923) is a 20th-century French journalist, novelist, and screenwriter, winner of the prix des Deux Magots in 1949. Christian Coffinet adapted some of his novels for cinema, particularly ''La Fille de proie'' for the film ' ...

''Autour de Chérubine'' *1950:

Antoine Blondin Antoine Blondin (11 April 1922 – 7 June 1991) was a French writer. He belonged to the literary group called the '' Hussards''. He was also a sports columnist in ''L'Équipe''. Blondin also wrote under the name Tenorio. Biography Blondin was ...

L'Europe buissonnière ''L'Europe buissonnière'' is a 1949 novel by the French writer Antoine Blondin. It is based on Blondin's experiences as an STO worker at a rubber plant in Austria in 1943 and 1944. It depicts Europe during World War II in a comical fashion remini ...

'' *1951: Jean Masarès ''Le Pélican dans le désert'' *1952:

René-Jean Clot René-Jean Clot (19 January 1913, Algiers – 4 November 1997, Clermont-Ferrand) was a French painter, and novelist. His novel, '' L'Enfant halluciné'', won the 1987 Prix Renaudot. He corresponded with Albert Camus. Works * ''L’Annonciation à ...

''Le Poil de la Bête'' *1953:

Albert Simonin Albert Simonin (1905–1980) was a French novelist and scriptwriter. He was born in the La Chapelle quarter of the 18th arrondissement of Paris. His father was a florist. Albert was orphaned by the age of 16.''Paris Match'' No.3134 11–17 June 20 ...

''Touchez pas au grisbi'' *1954:

Claude Cariguel Claude Cariguel (born 1931, Paris) is a French writer and novelist. His novel ''S'' was published in 1953 by Flammarion and received the Prix des Deux Magots The Prix des Deux Magots is a major French literary prize. It is presented to new works ...

''S'' *1955:

Pauline Réage Anne Cécile Desclos (23 September 1907 – 27 April 1998) was a French journalist and novelist who wrote under the pen names Dominique Aury and Pauline Réage. She is best known for her erotic novel '' Story of O'' (1954). Early life Born ...

'' Histoire d'O'' *1956:

René Hardy René Hardy (31 October 1911 – 12 April 1987) was a member of the French Resistance during World War II. Hardy was born in Mortrée, Orne. In spite of having rendered dedicated and valuable service as a member of the resistance group, Combat (F ...

''Amère Victoire'' *1957: ''Grain de Beauté'' *1958:

Michel Cournot Michel Cournot (1 May 1922 – 8 February 2007) was a French journalist, screenwriter and film director. As a writer he was awarded the Fénéon Prize in 1949 for ''Martinique''. His only film as a director, '' Les Gauloises bleues'', was ...

''Le Premier Spectateur'' *1959:

Henri-François Rey Henri-François Rey (July 31, 1919 in Toulouse - July 22, 1987 in Paris) was a French writer, dramaturge and screenwriter. His book ''La Fête espagnole'' (''The Spanish party'') won the 1959 Prix des Deux Magots. His best-known work, ''Les Pianos m ...

''La Fête Espagnole'' *1960: Bernard-G. Landry ''Aide-mémoire pour Cécile'' *1961:

Bernard Jourdan Bernard Jourdan (1 February 1918 – 18 August 2003) was a 20th-century French writer. In 1961, his novel ' published in 1960 by Fayard earned him the Prix des Deux Magots The Prix des Deux Magots is a major French literary prize. It is presented ...

''Saint-Picoussin'' *1962: ''Le notaire des noirs'' *1963: ' *1964: Clément Lépidis ''La Rose de Büyükada'' *1965:

Fernand Pouillon Fernand Pouillon (14 May 1912 – 24 July 1986) was a French architect, urban planner, building contractor and writer. Pouillon was one of the most active and influential post-World War II architects and builders in France. He is remembered f ...

''Les Pierres sauvages'' *1966:

Michel Bataille Michel Bataille (March 25, 1926February 28, 2008) was a French writer. Biography Bataille studied architecture at École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, and took part in projects with Le Corbusier. Thirteen years later, he left architectur ...

''Une Pyramide sur la mer'' *1967: Solange Fasquelle ''L'Air de Venise'' *1968:

Guy Sajer Guy Mouminoux (13 January 1927 – 11 January 2022), known by the pseudonym Guy Sajer, was a French writer and cartoonist who is best known as the author of the Second World War memoir ''Le Soldat Oublié'' (1965, translated as '' The Forgotten ...

''Le soldat oublié'' *1969:

Elvire de Brissac Elvire de Brissac (born 19 January 1939) is a French novelist and biographer. Her awards include the Prix des Deux Magots, Grand prix des lectrices de Elle, Prix Contrepoint, Prix Goncourt, and the Prix Femina, Prix Femina Essai. Biography Elvir ...

''A Pleur-Joie'' *1970:

Roland Topor Roland Topor (7 January 1938 – 16 April 1997) was a French illustrator, cartoonist, comics artist, painter, novelist, playwright, film and TV writer, filmmaker and actor, who was known for the surreal nature of his work. He was of Polish-Jewis ...

''Joko fête son anniversaire'' *1971:

Bernard Frank Bernard Frank (11 October 1929, in Neuilly-sur-Seine – 3 November 2006, in Paris) was a French journalist and writer. Early life Bernard Frank was raised in a comfortable family, where his father was a bank manager. After his baccalauréat ...

''Un siècle débordé'' *1972: Alain Chedanne ''Shit, Man'' *1973:

Michel del Castillo Michel del Castillo (a.k.a. Michel Janicot del Castillo) born in 1933 in Madrid is a French writer. Biography Michel del Castillo was born in Madrid. His father, Michel Janicot, was French and his mother, Cándida Isabel del Castillo, Spanish. I ...

''Le Vent de la nuit'' *1974:

André Hardellet André Hardellet (13 February 1911 – 24 July 1974) was a French poet and writer. He was the 1974 winner of the Prix des Deux Magots.Geneviève Dormann Geneviève Dormann (24 September 1933 – 13 February 2015) was a French journalist and novelist. The daughter of politician Maurice Dormann, she was born in Paris. Dormann worked as a journalist for the magazine ''Marie Claire'' and for the new ...

''Le Bateau du courrier'' *1976: François Coupry ''Mille pattes sans tête'' *1977:

Inès Cagnati Inès Cagnati (21 February 1937 – 9 October 2007) was an Italian-French novelist living in rural France. Her novels treat of the experience of being an outsider, of growing up poor in rural France, and of the silence that accompanies the inab ...

''Génie la folle'' *1978: Sébastien Japrisot ''L'Eté meurtrier'' *1979: Catherine Rihoit '' Le bal des débutantes'' *1980:

Roger Garaudy Roger Garaudy (; 17 July 1913 – 13 June 2012) was a French philosopher, French resistance fighter and a communist author. He converted to Islam in 1982. In 1998, he was convicted and fined for Holocaust denial under French law for claiming that ...

''L'appel des vivants'' *1981:

Raymond Abellio Georges Soulès (11 November 1907 – 26 August 1986), known by his pen name Raymond Abellio, was a French writer. Life Abellio went to the École Polytechnique and then took part in the X-Crise Group. He advocated far-left ideas, but like man ...

''Sol Invictus'' *1982:

François Weyergans François Weyergans (; 2 August 1941 – 27 May 2019) was a Belgian writer and director. His father, Franz Weyergans, was a Belgian and also a writer, while his mother was from Avignon in France. François Weyergans was elected to the Acadé ...

Macaire le Copte ''Macaire le Copte'' is a novel by François Weyergans. It was first published in Paris in 1981 by Gallimard. This book won the Prix Victor-Rossel in 1981 and the Prix des Deux Magots The Prix des Deux Magots is a major French literary prize. It ...

'' *1983: Michel Haas ''La dernière mise à mort'' *1984:

Jean Vautrin Jean Vautrin (17 May 1933 – 16 June 2015), real name Jean Herman, was a French writer, filmmaker and film critic. Life and career After studying literature at Auxerre, he took first place in the Id'HEC competition. He studied French lite ...

''Patchwork'' *1985: Arthur Silent ''Mémoires minuscules'' *1986:

Éric Deschodt Éric Deschodt (born 30 March 1937) is a French journalist, writer and translator. He wrote police novels written in collaboration under the pseudonym Bernard-Paul Lallier. Biography Éric Deschodt was Anne-Marie Deschodt's brother.

''Eugénie les larmes aux yeux'' and Michel Breitman ''Témoin de poussière'' *1987: Gilles Lapouge ''La bataille de Wagram'' *1988: Henri Anger '' La mille et unième rue'' *1989:

Marc Lambron Marc Lambron (born 4 February 1957 in Lyon) is a French writer and winner of the Prix Femina, 1993, for ''L'Oeil du silence''. Bibliography * ''Les Menteurs'' * ''L'Impromptu de Madrid'', ( Flammarion, 1989) * ''L'Œil du silence'' (1993) * ''19 ...

''L'impromptu de Madrid'' *1990:

Olivier Frébourg Olivier Frébourg (14 September 1965, Dieppe) is a French journalist, writer and publisher. Career As a journalist, he wrote for '' Libération'', ''Le Figaro Littéraire'', '' Géo'' (as great reporter), ''le Figaro Magazine'', ', ' and severa ...

, ''Roger Nimier'' *1991:

Jean-Jacques Pauvert Jean-Jacques Pauvert (8 April 1926 – 27 September 2014) was a French publisher, notable for publishing the work of the Marquis de Sade in the early 1950s and as the first publisher of the '' Story of O'' (1954) and the first edition of Kenneth A ...

, ''Sade'' *1992:

Bruno Racine Bruno Racine (born 17 December 1951 in Paris) is a French civil servant and writer. Early life and education Racine is the son of Pierre Racine (a conseiller d'État) and Edwina Morgulis, Bruno Racine was born in Paris. He studied at the Éco ...

, ''Au péril de la mer'' *1993:

Christian Bobin Christian Bobin (24 April 1951 – 24 November 2022) was a French author and poet. Bobin received the 1993 Prix des Deux Magots for the book ''Le Très-Bas'' (translated into English in 1997 by Michael Kohn and published under two titles: ''Th ...

, ''Le Très-Bas'' *1994: Christophe Bataille, ''Annam'' *1995: Pierre Charras, ''Monsieur Henry'' *1996: Éric Neuhoff, ''Barbe à Papa'' *1997:

Ève de Castro Valérie Cazeneuve called Ève de Castro (1961) is a French writer, novelist and screenwriter, a winner of the Prix des libraires in 1992, the Prix des Deux Magots and the Prix Maurice Genevoix in 1996. Work Novels *1987: ''Les Bâtards du s ...

, ''Nous serons comme des Dieux'' *1998:

Daniel Rondeau Daniel Rondeau (born 7 May 1948) is a French writer, editor, and diplomat. Born in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, he studied law at Panthéon-Assas where the spirit of May 68 saw him embrace Maoism and join the proletariat by working from 1970 to 1974 i ...

, ''Alexandrie'' and ''Je suis le gardien du phare'' *1999: Marc Dugain, ''La Chambre des officiers'' *2000: Philippe Hermann, ''La vraie joie'' *2001:

François Bizot François Bizot (born 8 February 1940) is a French anthropologist, the only Westerner to have survived imprisonment by the Khmer Rouge. Arrival in Cambodia Bizot arrived in Cambodia in 1965 to study Buddhism practised in the countryside. He t ...

, ''Le Portail'' *2002: Jean-Luc Coatalem, ''Je suis dans les mers du Sud'' *2003:

Michka Assayas Michka Assayas (2 November 1958 in Paris) is a French author, music journalist and radio presenter. In France, he is known for his rock reviews and the ''Dictionnaire du rock'' published in 2000 and his radio show on radio France Inter. For his n ...

, ''Exhibition'' *2004:

Adrien Goetz Adrien Goetz (born 1966 in Caen, Calvados) is a French Art History Professor, art critic and novelist. He graduated from the École Normale Supérieure. His work appeared in '' Zurban'', and ''Beaux-Arts Magazine''. He is Lecturer in Art Histo ...

, ''La Dormeuse de Naples'' *2005:

Gérard Oberlé Gérard Oberlé (born 27 November 1945, Saverne) is a French writer and bibliographer. Origin and biography Born in Alsace, of parents from Lorraine originating from Dabo where his grandfather was a clog maker, Gérard Oberlé spent there his s ...

, ''Retour à Zornhof'' *2006:

Jean-Claude Pirotte Jean-Claude Pirotte (20 October 1939 – 24 May 2014) was a Belgian writer, poet and painter. A French language writer, his 2006 novel, ''Une adolescence en Gueldre'', won the Prix des Deux Magots. Life Early years Jean-Claude Pirotte was born ...

, '' Une adolescence en Gueldre'' *2007: Stéphane Audeguy, ''Fils unique'' *2008:

Dominique Barbéris Dominique Barbéris (born 1958) is a French novelist, author of literary studies and university professor, specializing in stylistics and writing workshops. Biography Born in 1958 in Cameroon into a French family of Nantes, her father was a dip ...

, ''Quelque chose à cacher'' *2009: Bruno de Cessole, ''L'heure de la fermeture dans les jardins d'Occident'' *2010: Bernard Chapuis, ''Le Rêve entouré d'eau'' *2011: Anthony Palou, ''Fruits & légumes'' *2012: Michel Crépu, ''Le Souvenir du monde'' *2013: Pauline Dreyfus, ''Immortel, enfin'' *2014:

Étienne de Montety Étienne de Montety (born 2 May 1965 in 15th arrondissement of Paris) is a French writer and journalist.Who's Who in France, édition 2008, page 1603 Biography Étienne de Montety studied at the University of Paris X-Nanterre, where he obtaine ...

, ''La Route du salut'' *2015: Serge Joncour, ''L'Écrivain national'' *2016: , ''La Piste Pasolini'' *2017: Kéthévane Davrichewy, ' *2018:

Julie Wolkenstein Julie Wolkenstein (''née'' Julie Poirot-Delpech) is a French writer born in 1968 in Paris. She is the daughter of academician Bertrand Poirot-Delpech and, by her mother, the granddaughter of French industrialist . A professor of comparative lit ...

, ''Les vacances'' *2019: , ''Le Temps de s'en apercevoir'' *2020:

Jérôme Garcin Jérôme Garcin (born 4 October 1956) is a French journalist and writer. He heads the cultural section of the ''Nouvel Observateur'', produces and hosts the radio program ' on France Inter, and is a member of the reading committee of the Com� ...

, ' *2021: Emmanuel Ruben, ''Sabre'' *2022: Louis-Henri de La Rochefoucauld, ''Châteaux de Sable''

References

* Noël Blandin
"Prix des Deux Magots"
La République des Lettres, 20 January 2010

External links

Prix des Deux Magots article
from www.prix-litteraires.net * (in French) {{DEFAULTSORT:Prix Des Deux Magots Deux Magots Awards established in 1933 Prix des Deux Magots winners 1933 establishments in France