1811 in France

Incumbents

• First Consul / Emperor - Napoléon Bonaparte / Napoleon I

  Events

• 19 February - Peninsular War: Battle of the Gebora, French routed Spanish forces.
• 5 March - Peninsular War: Battle of Barrosa, tactical defeat for French.
• 13 March - Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Lissa, a British naval victory.
• 25 March - The Great Comet of 1811 is discovered by Honoré Flaugergues.
• 3 April - Peninsular War: Battle of Sabugal, Anglo-Portuguese victory.
• 14 April - Peninsular War: Siege of Almeida. Siege of French garrison begins.
• 3 May–5 May - Peninsular War: Battle of Fuentes de Onoro, Anglo-Portuguese victory, preventing French relief of the Siege of Almeida.
• 10 May - Peninsular War: Siege of Almeida ends with escape of French garrison.
• 16 May - Peninsular War: Battle of Albuera, an indecisive battle.
• 25 May - Peninsular War: Battle of Usagre, Anglo-Portuguese victory.
• 25 September- Peninsular War: Battle of El Boden, French victory.
• 28 October - Peninsular War: Battle of Arroyo dos Molinos, Anglo-Portuguese victory over French forces.

  Births

• 18 January - Édouard René de Laboulaye, jurist.
• 19 February - Jules Sandeau, novelist.
• 11 March - Urbain Le Verrier, mathematician.
• 20 March - Napoleon II of France, son of Napoleon Bonaparte.
• 17 August - Alfred-Henri-Amand Mame, printer and publisher.
• 23 August - Auguste Bravais, physicist.
• 30 August - Théophile Gautier, poet, novelist, journalist, dramatist and literary critic.
• 25 October - Évariste Galois, mathematician.
• 29 October - Louis Blanc, politician and historian.
• 30 October - Auguste-François Maunoury, Hellenist and exegete.
• 11 November - François Delsarte, musician and teacher.
• 15 November - Jacques-Maurice De Saint Palais, Archbishop of Indianapolis.
• 5 December - Arthur-Marie Le Hir, Biblical scholar and Orientalist.

  Full date unknown

• Auguste Casimir-Perier, diplomat.
• Henri Delaborde, art critic and painter.
• Philippe Édouard Foucaux, Tibetologist.

  Deaths

• 10 January - Joseph Chénier, poet, dramatist and politician.
• 27 January - Jean-Baptiste Huet, painter, engraver and designer.
• 13 March - Bernard Dubourdieu, Rear Admiral.
• 28 April - Jacques-André Emery, Superior of the Society of St-Sulpice.
• 15 May - François Amable Ruffin, General.
• 16 May - François Werlé
• 12 March – Frederik Christian Winsløw, medal engraver
• 23 June - Jean-André Valletaux
• 19 July - Raphael Bienvenu Sabatier, anatomist and surgeon.
• 20 August - Louis Antoine de Bougainville, navigator and military commander.
• 27 October - Nicolas Godinot, General.
• 17 December - Louis Abel Beffroy de Reigny, dramatist.

  Full date unknown

• Jean-Simon Berthélemy, painter.
• Jean-Baptiste Pussin, hospital superintendent.
• Jean-Baptiste Réveillon, paper manufacturer.