List of French women writers

A

• Juliette Adam, novelist, non-fiction writer, magazine editor
• Marie d'Agoult, pen name Daniel Stern, novelist, essayist, history writer
• Anne-Marie Albiach, poet, translator
• Hortense Allart, feminist writer, essayist
• Almucs de Castelnau, troubadour poet writing in Occitan
• Catherine d'Amboise, semi-autobiographical novelist, poet
• Virginie Ancelot, painter, playwright
• Christine Angot, novelist, playwright
• Azalaïs d'Arbaud, Occitan-language writer
• Sophie d'Arbouville, poet, short story writer
• Catherine Arley, pen name of Pierrette Pernot, novelist, actress
• Angélique Arnaud, novelist, essayist, feminist
• Madeleine de l’Aubespine, poet, literary patron, one of the earliest female erotic poets
• Gwenaëlle Aubry, novelist, philosopher, non-fiction writer
• Colette Audry, novelist, screenwriter, critic
• Marie-Catherine d'Aulnoy, writer of fairy tales, historical novels
• Félicie d'Ayzac, poet, art historian
• Azalais de Porcairagues, Occitan-language troubadour

  B

• Tristane Banon, novelist, journalist, television presenter
• Arvède Barine, non-fiction writer, historian, literary critic
• Natalie Clifford Barney, American-born poet, playwright, novelist, wrote mainly in French
• Lauren Bastide, French journalist
• Sophie Bawr, playwright, non-fiction writer
• Fanny de Beauharnais, poet, novelist, playwright, salonist
• Simone de Beauvoir, novelist, essayist, existentialist philosopher, feminist
• Béatrix Beck, novelist, short story writer, poet, of Belgian origin
• Alice Becker-Ho, poet, non-fiction writer
• Claude de Bectoz, poet, letter writer
• Géraldine Beigbeder, novelist, screen-writer
• Maud de Belleroche, best-selling novelist, memoirist, biographer
• Loleh Bellon, actress and playwright
• Yannick Bellon, film director and screenwriter
• Juliette Benzoni, novelist
• Catherine Bernard, poet, playwright, novelist
• Paulette Bernège, journalist, housework specialist, prolific non-fiction writer
• Emmanuèle Bernheim, novelist, screenwriter
• Carmen Bernos de Gasztold, poet
• Louise Bertin, composer, poet
• Mireille Best, novelist, often featuring lesbian characters
• Nella Bielski, Ukrainian-born French novelist, actress
• Gisèle Bienne, novelist, writer for young adults
• Raphaële Billetdoux, novelist
• Marie-Claire Bancquart, poet, essayist, critic, educator
• Marie Bonaparte-Wyse, novelist, playwright
• Louise de Bossigny, fairy tale writer
• Catherine de Bourbon, princess, poet, letter writer
• Jeanne Bouvier, feminist, trade unionist
• Sarah Bouyain, novelist, film director
• Nina Bouraoui, novelist
• Dounia Bouzar, anthropologist, writer
• Marie-Anne de Bovet, novelist, journalist
• Anne-Sophie Brasme, novelist
• Geneviève Brisac, novelist, short story writer, children's writer, critic, screenwriter
• Josette Bruce, Polish-born novelist
• Andrée Brunin, poet, many works set to music

  C

• Claude Cahun, poet, novelist, photograph, essayist, translator, résistante
• Nina de Callias, poet, salonist
• Amélie-Julie Candeille, composer, librettist, playwright
• Marcelle Capy, novelist, journalist, pacifist
• Marie Cardinal, novelist
• Castelloza, troubadour poet
• Claire Castillon, novelist, playwright
• Anne-Marie Cazalis, journalist, poet, essayist, novelist, actress
• Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de La Force, successful novelist, poet, memoirist
• Françoise Chandernagor, novelist, playwright
• Edmonde Charles-Roux, novelist, journalist, photographer
• Noëlle Châtelet, essayist, novelist, short story writer, educator
• Chantal Chawaf, novelist, essayist
• Madeleine Chapsal, novelist, poet, critic
• Charlotte Saumaise de Chazan, poet and salon attendee
• Élisabeth Sophie Chéron, painter, poet, translator
• Maryse Choisy, philosopher, novelist, non-fiction writer
• Hélène Cixous, Algerian-born French novelist, poet, playwright, philosopher, critic, feminist writer
• Catherine Clément, philosopher, novelist, feminist, critic
• Gabrielle de Coignard, religious poet
• Louise Colet, poet, novelist, salonist
• Colette, novelist, author of Gigi
• Henriette de Coligny de La Suze, poet
• Anne-Hyacinthe de Colleville, novelist, playwright
• Danielle Collobert, poet, novelist, short story writer, journalist
• Sophie Ristaud Cottin, novelist, several historical novels
• Hélisenne de Crenne, novelist, epistolary writer, translator
• Pauline Marie Armande Craven, non-fiction writer

  D

• Jocelyne Dakhlia, French historian, anthropologist and academic
• Gilberte H. Dallas, pen name of Gilberte Herschtel, poet, important member of the poètes maudits
• Marie Darrieussecq, novelist
• Countess Dash, pen name of Gabrielle Anne Cisterne de Courtiras, vicomtesse de Saint-Mars, novelist
• Régine Deforges, novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright
• Alix Delaporte, film director, screenwriter
• Lucie Delarue-Mardrus, poet, novelist, journalist
• Florence Delay, novelist, essayist, playwright, translator, actress
• Lucie Delarue-Mardrus, journalist, poet, novelist, sculptor
• Sylvie Denis, novelist, magazine editor, translator
• Maria Deraismes, playwright, essayist, women's rights activist
• Marceline Desbordes-Valmore, poet, novelist
• Antoinette Des Houlières, poet
• Marie-Anne Desmarest, novelist
• Catherine Des Roches, Renaissance poet, daughter of Madelaine Des Roches
• Madeleine Des Roches, Renaissance poet, mother of Catherine Des Roches
• Madeleine Desroseaux, Breton poet, novelist, playwright, short story writer
• Jeanne Deroin, journalist, women's activist after the Revolution
• Dominique Desanti, journalist, novelist, biographer, educator
• Agnès Desarthe, children's writer, novelist
• Marceline Desbordes-Valmore, poet
• Maryline Desbiolles, novelist
• Anne Desclos, journalist, novelist, translator, known under pen-names Pauline Réage and Dominique Aury
• Madeleine Desroseaux, Breton-language poet, novelist
• Régine Deforges best-selling novelist, editor, director, playwright, known for her erotic works
• Antoinette Deshoulières, poet
• Virginie Despentes, novelist, autobiographical works
• Marie Desplechin, successful novelist, children's writer
• Jane Dieulafoy, archaeologist, novelist, journalist
• Geneviève Dormann, journalist, novelist
• Pernette Du Guillet, Renaissance poet
• Caroline Dubois, poet
• Charlotte Dubreuil, novelist, filmmaker, screenwriter
• Catherine Dufour, novelist
• Claire de Duras, novelist, author of Ourika
• Marguerite Duras, novelist, playwright, screenwriter of Hiroshima mon amour
• Vanessa Duriès, novelist, author of The Ties That Bind
• Yvette Duval, Moroccan-born French historian specializing in ancient North Africa

  E

• Françoise d'Eaubonne, feminist essayist, science fiction novelist
• Catherine Enjolet, French novelist and essayist
• Annie Ernaux, autobiographical novelist
• Claire Etcherelli, novelist

  F

• Geneviève Fauconnier, novelist
• Madame de La Fayette, novelist, author of La Princesse de Clèves
• Amanda Filipacchi, French-born American novelist
• Adelaide Filleul, novelist, one of the most distinguished writers of her times
• Clara Filleul, painter and children's writer
• Zénaïde Fleuriot, prolific novelist writing for young women
• Pierrette Fleutiaux, novelist, short story writer
• Brigitte Fontaine, singer, novelist, playwright, poet
• Viviane Forrester, essayist, novelist, critic
• Jeanne-Justine Fouqueau de Pussy, author of children’s and educational works
• Jocelyne François, lesbian novelist, poet, diarist

  G

• Marie-Louise Gagneur, essayist, novelist and feminist
• Jeanne Galzy, novelist, biographer
• Anne-Marie Garat, novelist
• Anne F. Garréta, novelist
• Judith Gautier, poet, historical novelist, playwright, translator, music critic
• Anna Gavalda, best-selling novelist, short story writer, works widely translated
• Sophie Gay, novelist, playwright, librettist
• Stéphanie Félicité, comtesse de Genlis, novelist, playwright, children's writer
• Rosemonde Gérard, poet, playwright
• Sylvie Germain, novelist, essayist, biographer
• Amélie Gex, poet, also wrote in Franco-Provençal
• Delphine de Girardin, essayist, poet, novelist
• Anne Golon, novelist, author of the Angélique series of historical novels
• Mélanie Gouby, journalist
• Olympe de Gouges, playwright, feminist writer, executed after the Revolution
• Marie de Gournay, novelist, essayist, critic
• Françoise de Graffigny, novelist, playwright
• Évelyne Grandjean, actress, playwright, screenwriter
• Henry Gréville, pen name of Alice Durand, widely translated novelist
• Benoîte Groult, novelist, feminist
• Claudine Guérin de Tencin, literary patron, novelist, letter writer
• Pernette du Guillet, poet, most of her works intended to be set to music as songs

  H

• Béatrice Hammer, novelist, children's writer, playwright
• Mireille Havet, poet, diarist, novelist
• Nathalie Henneberg, science fiction novelist
• Catherine Hermary-Vieille, novelist
• Adèle Hommaire de Hell, explorer and travel writer

  J

• Paula Jacques, Egyptian-born French novelist, journalist, radio host
• Gaëlle Josse, poet, novelist

  K

• Fabienne Kanor, journalist, novelist, filmmaker
• Maylis de Kerangal, novelist
• Nadia Yala Kisukidi, philosopher
• Thérèse Kuoh-Moukouri, Cameroon-born French novelist, essayist

  L

• Anne de La Roche-Guilhem, novelist, moved to England
• Sylvie Lainé, science fiction novelist, short story writer
• Jeanne Lapauze, born Jeanne Loiseau, poet, novelist, used the pen name Daniel Lesueur see: <>
• Camille Laurens, novelist
• Linda Lê, Vietnamese-born French novelist
• Simone Le Bargy, actress, novelist, memoirist
• Martine Le Coz, novelist, poet, non-fiction writer
• Violette Leduc, best-selling novelist, autobiographer
• Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, novelist, fairy tale writer, author of Beauty and the Beast

  M

• Jeanne Marni, novelist, playwright, essayist
• Anne de Marquets, religious poet, nun, author of Les Sonets spirituels
• Agnès Martin-Lugand, best-seller novelist
• Sophie Massieu, journalist
• Renée Massip, novelist, journalist
• Nicole-Claude Mathieu, sociologist specializing in gender studies
• Meavenn, pen name of Francine Rozec, Breton-language poet, novelist, playwright
• Natacha Michel, political activist, novelist, critic
• Jane Misme, journalist, feminist
• Ursule Molinaro, French-American novelist, playwright, translator, wrote in French and English
• Kenizé Mourad, journalist, non-fiction writer and novelist

  N

• Marguerite de Navarre, poet, playwright, short story writer, author of the short story collection Heptaméron
• Marie NDiaye, novelist, playwright
• Anna de Noailles, highly acclaimed novelist, poet, autobiographer
• Florence Noiville, journalist, children's writer, novelist, non-fiction writer

  O

• Véronique Olmi, novelist, playwright, short story writer
• Mona Ozouf, historian, philosopher

  P

• Katherine Pancol, best-selling novelist, journalist, author of Les Yeux jaunes des crocodiles
• Madeleine Pelletier, feminist writer
• Georges de Peyrebrune, prolific novelist, columnist, feminist
• Anne Plichota, children's writer, novelist
• Maria Pognon - writer, journal editor, feminist, suffragist and pacifist
• Aliénor de Poitiers, writer on court etiquette
• Alice Poulleau, travel writer, geographer

  R

• Rachilde, pen name of Marguerite Vallette-Eymery, novelist, non-fiction writer, author of Monsieur Vénus
• Geneviève-Françoise Randon de Malboissière, playwright, poet, multi-lingual translator
• Pauline Réage, pen-name of Anne Desclos, who also used the pen-name Dominique Aury, novelist, editor, critic, author of Story of O
• Marie Redonnet, pen name of Martine L'hospitalier, poet, novelist, essayist, short story writer, playwright
• Christine Renard, science fiction novelist
• Yasmina Reza, playwright, novelist, actress, screenwriter, author of God of Carnage
• Marie Jeanne Riccoboni, novelist, editor
• Catherine Rihoit, novelist, biographer
• Christine de Rivoyre, novelist, journalist
• Antoinette Henriette Clémence Robert, novelist, playwright
• Nina Roberts, erotic novelist, actress
• Tatiana de Rosnay, journalist, best-selling novelist, screenwriter,
• Marie-Anne de Roumier-Robert, early science fiction novelist
• Pascale Roze, playwright, novelist, author of Sarah's Key
• Léonie Rouzade, journalist, novelist and feminist

  S

• Françoise Sagan, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, author of Bonjour Tristesse
• Vefa de Saint-Pierre, explorer, reporter, Breton-language poet, children's writer
• Lydie Salvayre, novelist, works widely translated
• George Sand, novelist, playwright, author of Indiana
• Anne de Seguier 16th century French poet and salon holder
• Nathalie Sarraute, Russian-born French novelist, pioneer of the nouveau roman
• Albertine Sarrazin, French-Algerian novelist, essayist, poet
• Simone Schwarz-Bart, Guadeloupian-French novelist, playwright, non-fiction writer
• Ann Scott, novelist, short story writer
• Madeleine de Scudéry, novelist, works containing lengthy conversations
• Countess of Ségur, Russian-born French novelist, children's writer
• Eulalie de Senancour, journalist, novelist, children's writer
• Coline Serreau, actress, film director, playwright, essayist
• Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné, letter writer
• Shan Sa, pen name of Yan Ni, Chinese-born French poet, novelist, painter, now writing in French
• Germaine de Staël, also Madame de Staël, essayist, novelist, non-fiction writer, salonist
• Louise Swanton Belloc, translator, essayist, novelist, non-fiction writer, children's book writer, feminist

  T

• Tibors de Sarenom, troubadour poet, writing in Occitan
• Chantal Thomas, historian, novelist
• Édith Thomas, novelist, historian, journalist
• Gilles Thomas, pen name of Éliane Taïeb, science fiction novelist
• Annette Tison, architect, children's writer, co-creator of Barbapapa
• Valerie Toranian, journalist, editor of Elle
• Nicole Tourneur, novelist, children's writer
• Elsa Triolet, Russian-born French novelist, first women to win the Prix Goncourt, wrote in Russian and French
• Nadine Trintignant, film editor, writer, director, producer, and novelist
• Flora Tristan, socialist writer, feminist

  V

• Valérie Valère, best selling autobiographical novelist
• Fred Vargas, pen name of Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau, best-selling crime fiction writer, historian
• Delphine de Vigan, best-selling novelist, author of No et moi translated into 20 languages
• Marie-Catherine de Villedieu, playwright, novelist, short story writer
• Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, novelist, fairy tale writer, author of Belle et la Bête
• Louise Lévêque de Vilmorin, novelist, poet, journalist
• Renée Vivien, British-born French-language poet, often writing autobiographical verse
• Élisabeth Vonarburg, science-fiction novelist

  W

• Simone Weil, philosopher, non-fiction works
• Anne Wiazemsky, German-born French novelist, actress
• Joëlle Wintrebert, science fiction novelist, children's writer
• Monique Wittig, novelist, playwright, feminist writer
• Cendrine Wolf, children's writer, collaborates with Anne Plichota

  Y

• Marguerite Yourcenar, novelist and essayist

  Z

• Léontine Zanta, novelist, feminist