1961 in France

Incumbents

• President: Charles de Gaulle
• Prime Minister: Michel Debré

  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.
• 21 September - Organisation armée secrète slips an anti-de Gaulle message into TV programming.
• 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 attacked an unarmed and peaceful demonstration of some 30,000 Algerians. Government acknowledged 40 deaths in 1998, although there are estimates of up to 200.
• Fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent is launched 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

• 15 April — José Anigo, soccer player and sporting director
• 16 May — Solveig Dommartin, actress
• 21 September — Philippe Anziani, soccer player and coach
• 29 September — Jean-Marie Neff, racewalker
• 9 October — Martial Fesselier, racewalker

  Deaths

• 5 May - Maurice Merleau-Ponty, phenomenological philosopher
• 1 July - Louis-Ferdinand Céline, writer