Armenians in France (; ) are

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

citizens of

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

ancestry. The French Armenian community is, by far, the largest in the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

and the third largest in the world, after

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Although the first Armenians settled in France in the Middle Ages, like most of the

Armenian diaspora The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...

, the Armenian community in France was established by survivors of the

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily t ...

of 1915. Others came through the second half of the 20th century, fleeing political and economic instability in the Middle Eastern countries (Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Iran) and, more recently, from

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

History

Early history

Armenians have a long history of settlement in France. The first Armenians appeared in

Francia The Kingdom of the Franks (), also known as the Frankish Kingdom, or just Francia, was the largest History of the Roman Empire, post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Franks, Frankish Merovingian dynasty, Merovingi ...

in the

Early Middle Ages The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages (historiography), Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th to the 10th century. They marked the start o ...

. In 591, an Armenian bishop named Simon is recorded to have met

Gregory of Tours Gregory of Tours (born ; 30 November – 17 November 594 AD) was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours during the Merovingian period and is known as the "father of French history". He was a prelate in the Merovingian kingdom, encom ...

in the city of

Tours Tours ( ; ) is the largest city in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Indre-et-Loire. The Communes of France, commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabita ...

. Among other churches, the 9th-century church of

Germigny-des-Prés Germigny-des-Prés () is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France. The Oratory The oratory at Germigny-des-Prés (Loiret, Orléanais) was built by Bishop Theodulf of Orléans in 806 as part of his palace complex within the G ...

—built by

Odo of Metz Odo of Metz or Eudes of Metz () was a Frankish architect, considered of Armenian origin, who lived in the Carolingian Empire during Charlemagne's reign. Nothing is known of Odo's life, training or education. It is possible he was of Armenian or ...

(possibly an Armenian)—is said by architecture historians to have an Armenian influence. The thirty-six letters of the

Armenian alphabet The Armenian alphabet (, or , ) or, more broadly, the Armenian script, is an alphabetic writing system developed for Armenian and occasionally used to write other languages. It is one of the three historical alphabets of the South Caucasu ...

found in a Latin inscription at the St. Martha Church in

Tarascon Tarascon (; ), sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune situated at the extreme west of the Bouches-du-Rhône department of France in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Inhabitants are referred to as Tarasconnais or Tara ...

show that Armenians lived there before the 13th century, when the last three characters of the Armenian alphabet were added. Avignon-Jean-Althen-statue-5608

Contact between Armenians and the French became frequent during the

Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...

. The

Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, also known as Cilician Armenia, Lesser Armenia, Little Armenia or New Armenia, and formerly known as the Armenian Principality of Cilicia, was an Armenian state formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian ...

, located on the north-eastern shore of the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...

, became of strategic importance to the crusaders en route to Palestine. Armenian kings

Oshin is a Japanese television, Japanese Asadora, serialized morning television drama (''asadora''), which originally aired on NHK from 4 March 1983 to 31 March 1984; it is the 31st ''asadora'' overall to be produced. The 297 15-minute episodes follo ...

and Leo IV are known to have given special trading privileges to the French. In the 14th century, the

Hethumids The Hethumids ( Hethumian) (also spelled Hetoumids or Het'umids), also known as the House of Lampron (after Lampron castle), were an Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus ...

were unable to retain power in Cilician Armenia and following the assassination of Leo IV in 1341, his

Lusignan The House of Lusignan ( ; ) was a royal house of French origin, which at various times ruled several principalities in Europe and the Levant, including the kingdoms of Jerusalem, Cyprus, and Armenia, from the 12th through the 15th centuries du ...

cousin became King of Armenia as Constantine II. The Lusignan kings were of French origin and ruled the country until 1375 when the last king, Leo V, was captured by the Mamluks and taken to Egypt. He was later released and transferred to France where he died in 1393 and was buried at the

Basilica of St Denis The Basilica of Saint-Denis (, now formally known as the ) is a large former medieval abbey church and present cathedral in the commune of Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. The building is of singular importance historically and archite ...

, the burial place of the French monarchs. Since the 15th century, Armenians began migrating to France in small numbers. An Armenian inscription from this period survives on the

Bourges Cathedral Bourges Cathedral ( French: ''Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Bourges'') is a Roman Catholic church located in Bourges, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Stephen and is the seat of the Archbishop of Bourges. Built atop an earlier Romanesq ...

. In 1672, an Armenian named Pascal (Harut'iwn) opened the first

coffee house A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café (), is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, Caffè americano, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually ...

in Paris. From 1672 to 1686,

Voskan Yerevantsi Voskan Yerevantsi (also spelled Oscan; ; 1614–1674) was one of the first Armenian book publishers during the years 1640–1666. He published the first Armenian Bible in Amsterdam in 1668, which is believed to be one of the best samples of old A ...

operated a publishing house in Marseille. With the liberalization of the economy, the number of Armenians in France increased and reach 300–400 by 1680.

Jean Althen Jean-Baptiste Joannis Althen, better simply known as Jean Althen (Hovhannès Althounian; 1709–1774), was an Armenian agronomist from Safavid Iran who developed the cultivation of madder in France. Although the plant had been present in the regi ...

(Hovhannès Althounian), a Persian-Armenian agronomist from Nakhchivan, is known to have introduced

madder ''Rubia'' is the type genus of the Rubiaceae family of flowering plants, which also contains ''Coffea'' (coffee). It contains around 80 species of perennial scrambling or climbing herbs and subshrubs native to the Old World. The genus and it ...

to southern France in the 1750s. A statue of him was erected in

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

expressing the city's gratefulness to him. During his campaign in Egypt,

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

was presented an Armenian

Mamluk Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-so ...

named

Roustam Raza Roustam Raza (; 1783 – 7 December 1845), also known as Roustan or Rustam, was a mamluk bodyguard and secondary valet of Napoleon. Early life Roustam was born in Tiflis, Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (present-day Tbilisi, Georgia). He was of Armen ...

. He became Napoleon's bodyguard and served him until 1814. In the 19th century, many young Armenian males (among them poet and political activist

Nahapet Rusinian Nahabed Rusinian (, ; 1819–1876) was a prominent Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Armenian poet, publicist, physician, orator, writer, political activist, translator, and contributor to the Armenian National Constitution. Life Nahabe ...

and architect

Nigoğayos Balyan The Balyan family (; ) was a prominent Armenian family in the Ottoman Empire of court architects in the service of Ottoman sultans and other members of the Ottoman dynasty during the 18th and 19th centuries. For five generations, they designed ...

) moved to France for education.

Papier d'Arménie Armenian paper is a type of incense that has been produced for centuries. The paper is infused with essences, fragrances or essential oils in order to achieve a perfuming or cleansing effect. Examples of Armenian paper include Papier d'Armé ...

("Armenian Paper"), a popular deodorising paper, was created in the late 1880s by Auguste Ponsot. He visited

Turkish Armenia Western Armenia (Western Armenian: Արեւմտեան Հայաստան, ''Arevmdian Hayasdan'') is a term to refer to the western parts of the Armenian highlands located within Turkey (formerly the Ottoman Empire) that comprise the historic ...

and found out that the Armenians use

benzoin resin Benzoin or benjamin (corrupted pronunciation) is a balsamic resin obtained from the bark of several species of trees in the genus '' Styrax''. It is used in perfumes and some kinds of incense and as a flavoring and medicine (see tincture of ...

and

plant sap Sap is a fluid transported in the xylem cells (vessel elements or tracheids) or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These cells transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. Sap is distinct from latex, resin, or cell sap; it is a sep ...

to disinfect their homes and churches. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, thousands of Armenians escaped persecution in their ancestral homeland that was part of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

at the time. Events like the

Hamidian massacres The Hamidian massacres also called the Armenian massacres, were massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the mid-1890s. Estimated casualties ranged from 100,000 to 300,000, Akçam, Taner (2006) '' A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide a ...

and the

Adana massacre The Adana massacres (, ) occurred in the Adana Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire in April 1909. Many Armenians were slain by Ottoman Muslims in the city of Adana as the Ottoman countercoup of 1909 triggered a series of pogroms throughout the prov ...

gave rise to greater Armenian emigration. By the eve of the First World War, around 4,000 Armenians lived in France.

World War I and the Armenian genocide

By the 1916 French–Armenian Agreement, the

French Armenian Legion The Armenian Legion () was a volunteer unit that was raised by the Allied Powers to serve in the Middle East Theatre during World War I. Trained and led by French army commanders, the ''Légion d'Orient'' (Eastern Legion), as the unit was orig ...

was formed out of Armenians from around the world, including many French Armenians, by negotiations between

Boghos Nubar Boghos Nubar (), also known as Boghos Nubar Pasha (; 2 August 1851 – 25 June 1930), was the son of Nubar Pasha, a three time governor of Egypt. A chairman of the Armenian National Delegation, and the founder, alongside ten other Armenian nati ...

and French political and military authorities. The Legion took part in the

Sinai and Palestine Campaign The Sinai and Palestine campaign was part of the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I, taking place between January 1915 and October 1918. The British Empire, the French Third Republic, and the Kingdom of Italy fought alongside the Arab Revol ...

and the

Franco-Turkish War The Franco–Turkish War, known as the Cilicia Campaign () in France and as the Southern Front () of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey, was a series of conflicts fought between France (the French Colonial Forces and the French Armenian ...

. As a result of the Allied victory in the First World War, tens of thousands of survivors of the

found themselves living in the French-occupied part of the

Cilicia Cilicia () is a geographical region in southern Anatolia, extending inland from the northeastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Cilicia has a population ranging over six million, concentrated mostly at the Cilician plain (). The region inclu ...

, and far more in the French Mandate territories of Syria and Lebanon, as the

death camps Nazi Germany used six extermination camps (), also called death camps (), or killing centers (), in Central Europe, primarily in occupied Poland, during World War II to systematically murder over 2.7 million peoplemostly Jewsin the Holocau ...

Deir ez-Zor Deir ez-Zor () is the largest city in eastern Syria and the seventh largest in the country. Located on the banks of the Euphrates to the northeast of the capital Damascus, Deir ez-Zor is the capital of the Deir ez-Zor Governorate. In the 2018 ...

were in Syria. In 1920, the French army under General

Henri Gouraud Henri Gouraud (17 November 1867 - 16 September 1946) was a French army general. He played a central role in the colonization of French Africa and the Levant. During World War I, he fought in major battles such as those of the Argonne, the Dard ...

ordered the French Armenian Legion to lay down their weapons and that the Armenian refugees should leave at once. He had formed a "peaceful, reconstructive policy" with the

Turkish nationalists Turkish nationalism () is nationalism among the people of Turkey and individuals whose national identity is Turkish. Turkish nationalism consists of political and social movements and sentiments prompted by a love for Turkish culture, Turkish ...

to pull French troops out of Cilicia, but all that ended up doing was allowing attacks against Armenian civilians to resume. Most Cilician Armenian fled alongside the French and were resettled in refugee camps in Alexandretta,

Aleppo Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...

, the

Beqaa Valley The Beqaa Valley (, ; Bekaa, Biqâ, Becaa) is a fertile valley in eastern Lebanon and its most important farming region. Industry, especially the country's agricultural industry, also flourishes in Beqaa. The region broadly corresponds to th ...

(e.g. Anjar) and

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

. From there, entire families took the opportunity to flee to France. The influx of the Armenian genocide survivors brought tens of thousands of Armenians to France. By the early 1920s, approximately 50,000 to 60,000 Armenians lived in France. According to another source 90,000 genocide survivors settled in France, more than half of whom were villagers. Most Armenians initially arrived in Marseille, thereafter many of them spread across France and settled in large cities, especially in Paris and the urban areas across the

Paris–Marseille railway The railway from Paris to Marseille is an 862-kilometre long railway line, that connects Paris to the southern port city of Marseille, France, via Dijon and Lyon. The railway was opened in several stages between 1847 and 1856, when the final sect ...

, notably

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

. In the

Interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...

, the majority of Armenians in France were unskilled villagers that mostly worked in factories for low wages. Between 1922 and 1929, 80% of Armenians in France were labourers earning 10–15% less than Frenchmen. On 29 October 1920, Grégoire Sinabian was appointed by the

Armenian government The Government of the Republic of Armenia () or the executive branch of the Armenian government is an executive council of government ministers in Armenia. It is one of the three main governmental branches of Armenia and is headed by the Prim ...

as the consul-general of

to France. In this period, a number of Turkish Armenian intellectuals moved to France, including

Arshag Chobanian Arshag Chobanian (, also Tchobanian; 15 July 1872 – 9 June 1954) was an Armenian short story writer, journalist, editor, poet, translator, literary critic, playwright, philologist, and novelist. Biography His father was a respected goldsmith. ...

(1895),

Komitas Soghomon Soghomonian, ordained and commonly known as Komitas (; 22 October 1935), was an Ottoman-Armenian priest, musicologist, composer, arranger, singer, and choirmaster, who is considered the founder of the Armenian national school of musi ...

(1919, transferred to a hospital in Paris where he remained until his death),

Levon Pashalian Levon Pashalian (; 1868 in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire - 1943 in Vichy, France), was an Armenian short story writer, journalist, editor, novelist, and politician. Biography Levon Pashalian was born in 1868 in Üsküdar, a district of Constan ...

(1920),

Shahan Shahnour Shahan Shahnour (August 3, 1903, Istanbul – August 20, 1974, Saint-Raphaël), , French transliteration Chahan Chahnour), who signed his French language writings as Armen Lubin () was a French-Armenian writer and poet. He is considered a ...

(1923).

World War II and the Fourth Republic

The Armenian community of France played an active role in the

French Resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...

. Poet and communist militant

Missak Manouchian Missak Manouchian (; , 1 September 1909 – 21 February 1944) was an Armenians, Armenian poet and communist activist. A survivor of the 1915–1916 Armenian genocide, he Armenians in France, moved to France from an orphanage in Lebanon in 1 ...

, the commander of the multiethnic Groupe Manouchian, became an important Resistance leader. Besides Arpen Lavitian, the other executed Armenian member, his group also included many Jews from across Europe. Poets

Kégham Atmadjian Kegham Mihrani Atmadjian (, literary pseudonym ''Sema'', November 18, 1910 – May 18, 1940) was a French-Armenian poet and editor. Biography Being a survivor of the Armenian genocide, Atmadjian lived in orphanages in Turkey and Aleppo. In 1929 h ...

and Rouben Melik were other prominent participants in the Resistance. The

Anti-Fascist Underground Patriotic Organization Anti-fascist Underground Patriotic Organization (, APPO) was an anti-fascist group of Soviet captives, formed during World War II in the fascist-occupied territories of USSR, Poland and France.Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...

. Another Resistance fighter, Louise Aslanian, a famous writer and poet, was a recruiter for the

Francs-Tireurs et Partisans The ''Francs-tireurs et partisans français'' (, FTPF), or commonly the ''Francs-tireurs et partisans'' (FTP), was an armed resistance organization created by leaders of the French Communist Party during World War II (1939–45). The communist ...

in a combat cell of the

French Communist Party The French Communist Party (, , PCF) is a Communism, communist list of political parties in France, party in France. The PCF is a member of the Party of the European Left, and its Member of the European Parliament, MEPs sit with The Left in the ...

. She along with her husband

Arpiar Aslanian Arpiar Aslanian (; 16 December 1895 – 15 February 1945) was a French anti-fascist of Armenians, Armenian descent, communism, communist, husband of the writer Louise Aslanian, and a prominent figure in the French Resistance. Early life Arp ...

worked in an underground publishing house and actively engaged in supplying fighters of the

with weapons. Louise opened the women's division of the

and was responsible for the Armenian Resistance in Northern France. She and her husband were arrested on 24 July 1944 and were later killed in

Nazi concentration camps From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany operated more than a thousand concentration camps (), including subcamp (SS), subcamps on its own territory and in parts of German-occupied Europe. The first camps were established in March 1933 immediately af ...

. Henri Karayan, a member of the Manouchian Group, participated in the illegal distribution of ''

Humanité ''Humanité'' () is a 1999 film directed by Bruno Dumont. It tells the story of a withdrawn police lieutenant investigating a rape and murder of a schoolgirl in rural France, his slow enquiries interspersed with everyday scenes of his quiet life ...

'' in Paris and was engaged in the armed struggle until the Libération. In 2012, 95-year-old

Arsène Tchakarian Arsène Tchakarian (21 December 1916 – 4 August 2018) was a French-Armenian historian, former tailor and member of the French Resistance. He was a member of the Manouchian Group of the FTP-MOI, a wing of the larger Francs-Tireurs et Partisans ...

, the last survivor of the Manouchian resistance group who fought against occupying Nazi German forces during World War II, was decorated as Officer of the

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

by President

Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa ( ; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. In 2021, he was found guilty of having tried to bribe a judge in 2014 to obtain information ...

. Immediately after the Second World War, about 7,000 Armenians were repatriated to Soviet Armenia.

Migration of Armenians from the Middle East

Thousands of new immigrants have arrived in France from Middle Eastern countries like

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

and

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

since the 1950s. These new immigrants mobilized the French Armenian community. By the 1980s around 300,000 Armenians lived in France. In 1983, the

Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) was a militant organization active between 1975 and the 1990s whose stated goal was "to compel the Government of Turkey, Turkish Government to acknowledge publicly its responsibility for ...

launched an attack at the Paris Orly airport, as part of its campaign for the recognition of and reparations for the Armenian genocide. The explosion killed eight people and injured fifty-five. The campaign to pass the resolution condemning the

at the

European Council The European Council (informally EUCO) is a collegiate body (directorial system) and a symbolic collective head of state, that defines the overall political direction and general priorities of the European Union (EU). It is composed of the he ...

unleashed on June 19, 1987, at a

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

demonstration.

Contemporary period

The devastating earthquake in Armenia on 7 December 1988 led to a huge mobilization of the French Armenian community. Among others,

Charles Aznavour Charles Aznavour ( ; ; ; born Shahnur Vaghinak Aznavourian; 22 May 1924 – 1 October 2018) was a Armenians in France, French singer and songwriter of Armenian descent. Aznavour was known for his distinctive vibrato tenor voice: clear and ringi ...

established a charitable foundation to help the victims of the earthquake. As the

Institut national d'études démographiques The French Institute for Demographic Studies (, ; INED) is a French research institute specializing in demography and population studies in general. History Before 1945 In 1941, Nobel Prize winner Alexis Carrel, an early proponent of eugenics ...

, France's national statistics agency, does not collect data on ethnicity there is no reliable information about the number of French people of Armenian ancestry. Various experts, media and organizations have estimated the number of French Armenians to be 250,000, 300,000, 400,000, 450,000, 500,000, 500,000–700,000, 750,000. As of 2005, there were 12,355 Armenian-born people residing in France.

Culture

Language and education

SIL Ethnologue ''Ethnologue: Languages of the World'' is an annual reference publication in print and online that provides statistics and other information on the living languages of the world. It is the world's most comprehensive catalogue of languages. It w ...

'' as of 2009 estimated that Armenian is spoken by around 70,000 people in France. Most French Armenians speak

Western Armenian Western Armenian ( ) is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Eastern Armenian. It is based mainly on the Istanbul Armenian dialect, as opposed to Eastern Armenian, which is mainly based on the Yerevan Arme ...

, while a minority (recent Armenian immigrants from Armenia and Armenians from Iran) speak

Eastern Armenian Eastern Armenian () is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Western Armenian. The two standards form a pluricentric language. Eastern Armenian is spoken in Armenia, Russia, as well as Georgia, and by the Armeni ...

. Today, Armenian classes are organized in many localities with full bilingual kindergartens and primary schools near Paris and Marseille attended by several thousand children and youths. Armenian is currently a valid option counting toward the Baccalaureate, the French High School certificate.

Religion

The majority of the Armenian French population is of the Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox) faith and belong to the

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin (), known in Armenian as simply the Mother See (Մայր Աթոռ, ''Mayr At’oř''), is the governing body of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is headquartered around Etchmiadzin Cathedral in Vagharshapat (Etc ...

of the

Armenian Apostolic Church The Armenian Apostolic Church () is the Autocephaly, autocephalous national church of Armenia. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the most ancient Christianity, Christian churches. The Armenian Apostolic Church, like the Armenian Catholic ...

. A minority of Armenians belong to the Catholic faith and are adherents of the

Armenian Catholic Church The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic particular church ''sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church. It accepts the papal supremacy, leadership of the bishop of Rome, and is therefore in full communion with ...

. An estimated 5,000

Armenian Evangelicals The Armenian Evangelical Church () was established on July 1, 1846, by thirty-seven men and three women in Constantinople. History In the 19th century there was an intellectual and spiritual awakening in Constantinople. This awakening and enlig ...

live in France. Each of the three Armenian Churches has its own organization in France. The Diocese of France the Armenian Apostolic Church under the spiritual guidance and jurisdiction of the

Catholicos of All Armenians The Catholicos of All Armenians () is the chief bishop and spiritual leader of Armenia's national church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the worldwide Armenian diaspora. The Armenian Catholicos (plural Catholicoi) is also known as the Armenian ...

. The Diocese has its own Youth movement l'Association de la jeunesse de l’Eglise apostolique arménienne de France, which has chapters in the various 26 parishes of the Diocese. The Eparchy of Sainte-Croix-de-Paris depends on the Armenian Catholic Church, and the Armenian Evangelical Churches Union of France, part of the Armenian Evangelical Church.

Institutions

The

Armenian General Benevolent Union The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU, Eastern Armenian: Հայկական Բարեգործական Ընդհանուր Միություն, ՀԲԸՄ, ''Haykakan Baregortsakan Endhanur Miutyun'', or ,''Hay Parekordzagan Enthanour Miyutyun'' or ...

, one of the largest Armenian organizations in the world, was headquartered in Paris between 1922 and 1940. The Armenian Social Aid Association, operating Armenian retirement homes, was founded before this period and is unique to France. National institutions, and first and foremost the Armenian Church of Paris founded in 1905, were very soon to co-exist in Paris, playing a fundamental role in defending and protecting the refugees. In the municipalities with a high concentration of Armenians, there are a lot of associations in a vast array of fields ranging from the cultural (e.g. in Décines, near Lyon or Radio , in Paris), social (e.g. in Paris), sports (e.g. and football clubs), or more specific like the Association nationale des anciens combattants et résistants arméniens. There are also umbrella organizations, the Forum des associations arméniennes de France, created in 1991, and the Conseil de coordination des organisations arméniennes de France, new name since 2001 of the « Comité du 24 avril ».

Media

;Press The first Armenian journal in France began publishing in 1855. As of 1991, around two hundred Armenian newspapers and magazines have been published in France, more than any other European country. Currently, the only daily newspaper is ''

Nor Haratch ''Nor Haratch'' () is an Armenian newspaper based in France. It was initially published twice a week (every Tuesday and Friday). In 2010 it started to be published thrice a week (every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday). Nor Haratch was founded in ...

'', an independent publication that started publishing on October 27, 2009, on the basis of 2 issues per week. It replaced ''

Haratch Haratch ('Forward') () was an Armenian daily newspaper based in France. ''Haratch'' was founded in 1925 by Schavarch Missakian. History The newspaper was famous for attracting high-profile names in Armenian literature and journalism, including ...

'' (Յառաջ), a daily founded in 1925 by Schavarch Missakian that stopped publication in May 2009. ;Online media *''Nouvelles d'Arménie'' magazine *''France-Arménie'' magazine ;Broadcasting *AYP FM, radio station operating in Paris and

Île-de-France The Île-de-France (; ; ) is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France, with an official estimated population of 12,271,794 residents on 1 January 2023. Centered on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the cou ...

*Radio Arménie, radio station operating in Lyon and the surrounding area *Radio Gayané, radio station

France and the Armenian genocide

France is one of the countries that has recognized the Armenian genocide. There are monuments dedicated to the genocide victims in several cities in France, including Paris,

, and Marseille. The

French Senate The Senate (, ) is the upper house of the French Parliament, with the lower house being the National Assembly (France), National Assembly, the two houses constituting the legislature of France. It is made up of 348 senators (''sénateurs'' and ...

passed a bill in 2011 that criminalizes denial of acknowledged genocides, which includes both the Holocaust and the Armenian genocide. The bill was submitted by the parliament in 2012. However, the bill was considered unconstitutional on 28 February 2012 by the French Constitutional Court: "The council rules that by punishing anyone contesting the existence of ... crimes that lawmakers themselves recognised or qualified as such, lawmakers committed an unconstitutional attack on freedom of expression,". According to a 1996 survey in France, 69% of respondents were aware of the Armenian genocide, of which 75% agreed that the French government should officially recognize it. On 24 April 1965, 10,000 Armenians marched on Champs-Elysées to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the genocide.

Notable French Armenians

Entertainment

Alice Sapritch Alice Sapritch (29 July 1916 – 24 March 1990) was a French film actress. She appeared in 66 films between 1950 and 1989. Partial filmography * ''Le tampon du capiston'' (1950) – La pharmacienne * ''Le crime du Bouif'' (1952) * '' If P ...

(1916–1990), Turkish-born actress *

Henri Verneuil Henri Verneuil (; born Ashot Malakian; 15 October 1920 – 11 January 2002) was a French-Armenian playwright and filmmaker, who made a successful career in France. He was nominated for Oscar and Palme d'Or awards, and won Locarno International F ...

(1920–2002), Turkish-born film director *

Isabelle Sadoyan Isabelle Sadoyan (12 May 1928 – 10 July 2017) was a French-Armenian actress. Career She made her theater debut in 1950 with the play ''Bottines et collets montés'', based on plays written by Eugène Labiche and Georges Courteline, directe ...

(1928–2017), actress *

Catherine Robbe-Grillet Catherine Robbe-Grillet (; ; born 24 September 1930) is a French writer, dominatrix, photographer, theatre and film actress who has published sadomasochistic writings under the pseudonyms Jean de Berg and Jeanne de Berg. Biography She was bor ...

(b. 1930), actress *

Francis Veber Francis Paul Veber (born 28 July 1937) is a French film director, screenwriter and producer, and playwright. He has written and directed both French and American films. Nine French-language films with which he has been involved, as either writer ...

(b. 1937), director (Armenian mother) *

François Berléand François Berléand (; born 22 April 1952) is a French actor. He plays Gilles Triquet, the officer manager and equivalent of David Brent in ''Le Bureau'', the French version of ''The Office'', produced by Canal+. He also appeared in the 2002 f ...

(b. 1952), actor (Armenian father) *

Alain Berberian Alain may refer to: People * Alain (given name), common given name, including list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Alain (surname) * "Alain", a pseudonym for cartoonist Daniel Brustlein * Alain, a standard author abbreviation u ...

(1953–2017), director *

Robert Guédiguian Robert Jules Guédiguian (; born 3 December 1953) is a French film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. Most of his films star Ariane Ascaride and Jean-Pierre Darroussin. Life and career Guédiguian is the son of a German mother and an Arm ...

(b. 1953), film director, screenwriter, producer * Serge Avédikian (b. 1955), Armenian-born film and theatre actor and director * Vardan Petrosyan (b. 1959), Armenian-born actor, French citizen *

Pascal Légitimus Pascal Légitimus (born 13 March 1959) is a French actor, comedian and theatre director. He is a member of the well-known French comedy band Les Inconnus. Personal life He is the son of an Armenian theater seamstress, Madeleine Kambourian, and ...

(b. 1959), comedian (Armenian mother) *

Simon Abkarian Simon Abkarian (Armenian: Սիմոն Աբգարյան, born 5 March 1962) is a French-Armenian actor. Life and career Born in Gonesse, Val d'Oise, of Armenian descent, Abkarian spent his childhood in Lebanon. He moved to Los Angeles, where he ...

(b. 1962), actor *

Michael Vartan Michael Vartan (born November 27, 1968) is an American actor, known for his role as Michael Vaughn on the ABC television action drama '' Alias'', his role on the TNT medical drama '' Hawthorne'', and his role on the '' E!'' drama '' The Arrangeme ...

(b. 1968), actor * Mathieu Madénian (b. 1976), humorist, actor and columnist *

Raffy Shart Raffy Shart is a French-Armenian theater director and writer, film director and screenwriter, and composer / songwriter. In addition, Raffy Shart is an organizer of shows, does advertising campaigns, directs ads and music videos, writes musical ...

, director and musician

Literature, theatre, journalism

Arthur Adamov Arthur Adamov (23 August 1908 – 15 March 1970) was a playwright, one of the foremost exponents of the Theatre of the Absurd. Early life Adamov (originally Adamian) was born in Kislovodsk in the Terek Oblast of the Russian Empire The ...

(1908–1970), Russian-born playwright * Louise Aslanian (1906–1945), writer, poet, Resistance fighter, communist *

Nina Berberova Nina Nikolayevna Berberova (; 26 July 1901 – 26 September 1993) was a Russian writer who chronicled the lives of anti-communist Russian refugees in Paris in her short stories and novels. She visited post-Soviet Russia. Her 1965 revision of ...

(1901–1993), writer who chronicled the lives of Russian exiles in Paris *

Philippe Djian Philippe Djian (; born 3 June 1949) is a popular French author of Armenian descent. He won the 2012 Prix Interallié for the novel ''"Oh..." (Elle'' for the English translation). Life and career Djian graduated from the Ecole Supérieure de Jo ...

(b. 1949), writer *

Henri Troyat Henri Troyat (born Lev Aslanovich Tarasov; – 2 March 2007) was a Russian-French writer, biographer, historian, and novelist. Early life Lev Aslanovich Tarasov (, ''Lev Aslanovich Tarasov'') was born in Moscow to parents of Armenian heritage. ...

(1911–2007), writer *

Vahé Katcha Vahé-Karnik Khatchadourian better known as Vahé Katcha (in Armenian Վահէ Քաչա) (born in Damascus, Syria 1 April 1928 - died in Paris on 14 January 2003) was a French Armenian author, screenwriter and journalist. Katcha wrote 25 novels ...

(1928–2003), writer, screenwriter, journalist *

Jean-Claude Kebabdjian Jean-Claude Kebabdjian (born June 11, 1942 in Boulogne-Billancourt) is an Armenian-French publisher, journalist and author. Since the 1970s he raised awareness of Armenian memory and Armenian culture within the French society and within Europe. A ...

(b. 1942), editor and journalist, founder and director of the Centre de Recherches sur la Diaspora Arménienne

Music

Jacques Hélian Jacques Mikaël Der Mikaëlian better known as Jacques Hélian (born in Paris, 7 June 1912 - died 29 June 1986), was a famous French orchestra conductor for French music-hall. Biography Born of an Armenian father (descendant of Armenian bourge ...

(1912–1986), composer, arranger, conductor of big band orchestra (Armenian father) *

Rosy Armen Rosy Armen () is a French singer of Armenian descent. She is a multilingual singer, with most songs in French and Armenian, but also in other languages such as English, German, Spanish, and Italian. Biography Rosy Armen was born to Kourchoud ...

(b. 1923), singer *

(1924–2018), singer *

Marc Aryan Henri Markarian, better known as Marc Aryan (14 November 1926 in Valence, France – 30 November 1985 in Ohain, Belgium), was a French-Belgian singer, songwriter, and record producer of Armenian descent born as a French citizen, who also acq ...

(1926–1985), singer, composer, producer *

Michel Legrand Michel Jean Legrand (; 24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, jazz pianist, and singer. Legrand was a prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to ma ...

(1932–2019), composer (Armenian mother) *

Georges Garvarentz Georges Diran Garvarentz (, 1 April 1932 - 19 March 1993) was an Armenian-French composer, noted for his music for films and Charles Aznavour's songs. Biography Georges Garvarentz was born in Athens, Greece, to a family of Armenian immigrants. Hi ...

(1932–1993), composer * Lévon Sayan, (b. 1934), impresario, producer, and operatic tenor *

Danyel Gérard Danyel Gérard (born Gérard Daniel Kherlakian; 7 March 1939) is a French pop singer and composer. Life and work Gérard was born in Paris, France to an Armenian father and a Corsican mother, but grew up mainly in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. In ...

(b. 1939), singer (Armenian father) *

Sylvie Vartan Sylvie Vartan (; born Sylvie Georges Vartanian on 15 August 1944) is a Bulgarians in France, Bulgarian-French singer and actress. She is known as one of the most productive and tough-sounding yé-yé artists. Her performances often featured ela ...

(b. 1944), singer (Armenian father) *

François Kevorkian François Kevorkian (; born 10 January 1954), also known by the stage name François K, is a French DJ, producer, remixer and label owner of Armenian descent and based in the United States of America, who started his career DJing in clubs such ...

(b. 1954), music producer and remixer *

André Manoukian André Antranik Manoukian (; born 9 April 1957 in Lyon) is a French songwriter, arranger, jazz musician and actor of Armenian descent. Early years and education Born in Lyon, France, Manoukian is of Armenians in France, Armenian descent. He beg ...

(b. 1957), songwriter, musician *

Nariné Simonian Nariné Simonian (sometimes written only as Nariné, born 1965 in Gyumri, Armenia) is an Armenian-born French organist, pianist, musical director, and producer of operas. She specializes in baroque music, with a strong emphasis on Johann Sebast ...

(b. 1965), organist, pianist, musical director and producer of opera *

Patrick Fiori Patrick Chouchayan (; born 23 September 1969), known by his stage name Patrick Fiori (, ), is a French singer of Armenian descent. Biography Beginnings Fiori was born in Marseille to a French-Armenian father (Jacques Chouchayan) and a Corsica ...

(b. 1969), singer (Armenian father) *

Helene Segara Helene or Hélène may refer to: People * Helene (name), and Hélène, a female given name, including a list of people with the name * Hélène (singer) (Hélène Rollès, born 1966), French actress and singer * Helen of Troy, a figure in Greek ...

(b. 1971), singer (Armenian mother) *

Alain Altinoglu Alain Altinoglu (born 9 October 1975) is a French conductor of Armenian descent, and an academic teacher. He is chief conductor of both the La Monnaie opera in Brussels and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, and has conducted at international opera ...

(b. 1975), conductor *

Essaï Altounian Essaï Altounian (; born November 5, 1980), sometimes credited as simply Essaï, is a French-Armenian artist. Biography Essaï Altounian was born on November 5, 1980, in Paris, France. His grandparents escaped from Kharpet during the Armenian ...

(b. 1980), singer and keyboardist, represented

in the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest as part of

Genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...

. * Anna Kasyan (b. 1981), Georgian-born opera singer, soprano * Liz Sarian, singer * Jakhlin Baghdasaryan, singer of duo

Ladaniva Ladaniva (; stylized in all caps, named in reference to the off-road SUV Lada Niva) is a French-Armenian world music group originally from Lille. The duo, founded in 2019, consists of Armenian singer Jaklin Baghdasaryan and French multi-instrum ...

representing

in the

Eurovision Song Contest 2024 The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 was the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Malmö, Sweden, following the country's victory at the with the song "Tattoo (Loreen song), Tattoo" by Loreen. Organised by the European Br ...

Malmö Malmö is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, sixth-largest city in Nordic countries, the Nordic region. Located on ...

Painters

* Edgar Chahine (1874–1947), painter *

Léon Arthur Tutundjian Léon Arthur Tutundjian (; 1905, Amasya, Ottoman Empire – December 1968, Paris, France) was an Armenians, Armenian painter who achieved fame in France. Life Tutundjian was primarily a surrealist. References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tutundjian, ...

(1905–1968), painter *

Jean Carzou __NOTOC__ Jean Carzou (, born in Aleppo; 1 January 1907 – 12 August 2000) was a French–Armenian artist, painter, and illustrator, whose work illustrated the novels of Ernest Hemingway and Albert Camus. Life and career Carzou was born Karni ...

(1907–2000), Syrian-born painter *

Jean Jansem Hovhannes "Jean" Semerdjian (, 9 March 1920 – 27 August 2013), also known as Jean Jansem, was a French-Armenian painter. Jansem's artworks are internationally known, and are part of museum collections throughout France, Japan and the United ...

(1920–2013), painter *

Melik Ohanian Melik Ohanian (in Armenian Մելիք Օհանյան, in classical orthography Օհանեան; born 1969 in France) is a French contemporary artist of Armenian origin. He lives and works in Paris and New York City. His work has been shown in many ...

(b. 1969), painter

Politics

(1895–1945), communist militant and

fighter during World War II *

(1906–1944), poet, communist militant and

hero during World War II *

Édouard Balladur Édouard Balladur (; born 2 May 1929) is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France under François Mitterrand from 29 March 1993 to 17 May 1995. He unsuccessfully ran for president in the 1995 French presidential election, co ...

(b. 1929), politician, former Prime Minister, 1995 presidential candidate * Patrick Devedjian (1944–2020), politician, mayor of

Antony, Hauts-de-Seine Antony () is a Communes of France, commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France, from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. Antony is a subprefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department and the seat of the arrondissement o ...

, cabinet minister * Hilda Tchoboian *

Gérald Darmanin Gérald Moussa Jean Darmanin (; born 11 October 1982) is a French politician serving as Minister of Justice (France), Minister of Justice in the Bayrou government. He previously served as Minister of the Interior (France), Minister of the Inter ...

, Minister of the Interior (2020–) * Sarah Tanzilli, deputy *

was the last surviving member of the Manouchian Group

Sports

Alain Prost Alain Marie Pascal Prost (; born 24 February 1955) is a French former racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from to . Nicknamed "the Professor", Prost won four Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles and� ...

(b. 1955), race driver, four-time Formula One Drivers' Champion (Armenian mother) *

Éric Assadourian Éric Assadourian (, born on 24 June 1966) is a former professional association football, footballer who played as a striker (association football), striker. As of 2020, he is the head of the academy of RC Lens, Lens. Born in France, he played ...

(b. 1966), footballer *

Youri Djorkaeff Youri Raffi Djorkaeff (born 9 March 1968) is a French former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or forward. Throughout his club career, he played for teams in France, Italy, Germany, England, and the United States. At ...

(b. 1968), footballer (Armenian mother) *

Alain Boghossian Alain Régis Boghossian (born 27 October 1970) is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He played for several football clubs in France, Spain and Italy, and represented the France national team 26 times. He has als ...

(b. 1970), footballer (Armenian father) *

Nicolas Minassian Nicolas Minassian (Armenian language, Armenian: ; born 28 February 1973) is a French people, French professional racing driver of Armenians, Armenian descent. After finishing 2nd place in the 1993 Formula Renault Eurocup, Marseille-born Minassia ...

(b. 1973), race driver *

Dimitri Yachvili Dimitri Yachvili Markarian (born 19 September 1980) is a French former rugby union footballer who played as a scrum-half for Biarritz and France. He played for France from 2002 to 2012, earning 61 caps and scoring 373 points. With them he playe ...

(b. 1980), rugby union player (Armenian mother) * Cyriaque Rivieyran (b.1991), footballer * Gaël Andonian (b. 1995), footballer *

Ida Adamoff Ida Adamoff ( rus, Ида Адамова, p=ˈidə ɐˈdaməvə: – 5 June 1993) was a French tennis player active in the 1930s. Adamoff reached the doubles final at the 1935 French Championships with Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling but were defeate ...

(1910–1993), tennis player

Miscellaneous

;Science *

Vazken Andréassian Vazken Andréassian (Armenian language, Armenian: '; 10 April 1903 – 30 November 1995) was a French engineer and author of Armenian descent. Childhood Vazken Andréassian was born in the village of :hy:Հազարի, Hazari (now Anıl), Çem ...

(1903–1995), aeronautical engineer * Agop Terzan (1927–2020), astronomer *

Patrick Donabédian Patrick Donabédian (born 13 February 1953) is a French scholar specializing in Armenian studies, especially the history of Armenian architecture. Born in Tunis, Tunisia as a French citizen, Donabédian is of Armenian origin. He studied Russian an ...

(b. 1953), art historian ;Business *

Serge Tchuruk Serge Tchurukdichian (born 13 November 1937), known as Serge Tchuruk, is a French businessman of Armenian descent. He was the chief executive officer and chairman of Alcatel (a global telecommunications company) until the end of November 2006 a ...

(b. 1937), former CEO and chairman of

Alcatel Alcatel SA was a French industrial conglomerate active between 1963 and 2006. It has roots to ''Compagnie Générale d’Electricité'' (CGE), a conglomerate founded in 1898 as an early state owned cable and telephone equipment company that lat ...

* Alain Manoukian (b. 1946), fashion designer * Alain Mikli (b. 1955), designer * Michel Mossessian (b. 1959), architect *

Rafi Haladjian Rafi Haladjian (; born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1961) is a French serial entrepreneur of Armenian origin. He is the co-creator of the wireless-connected rabbit Nabaztag, a smart object of the Internet of Things. He is currently CEO of Sen.se. Car ...

(b. 1961), entrepreneur *

Francis Kurkdjian Francis Kurkdjian (born 14 May 1969) is a French perfumer and businessman of Armenian descent. He is best known for creating the men's fragrance Le Male for Jean Paul Gaultier in 1995, which has become one of the world's best-selling men’s fra ...

(b. 1969), fragrance creator *

Paul-Louis Arslanian Paul-Louis Arslanian is a French public servant, former head of the French ''Bureau d'enquêtes et d'analyses pour la sécurité de l'aviation civile'' (1995-2009). Arslanian is Officier of the Légion d'honneur, graduates from ''École polytechn ...

, director of French Air Accidents Bureau ;Other fields *

Anita Conti Anita Conti (; ''née'' Caracotchian) (17 May 1899 – 25 December 1997) was a French-Armenian explorer and photographer, and the first female Oceanography, oceanographer in her country. Between the two World war, World Wars, she began drawing th ...

(1899–1997), explorer and photographer, first French female oceanographer

Fictional characters

* Ana Khesarian, a character in '' The Promise'' (2016). Pietro A. Shakarian, a PhD candidate in Russian history at

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

, wrote in ''

The Nation ''The Nation'' is a progressive American monthly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper ...

'' that Ana represented the wealth held by the Armenians in France, with her wishes highlighting "affinities of the prosperous Armenian urban class for Europe."

References

;Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * *

External links

Diocese of France of the Armenian Apostolic ChurchCo-ordination Council of Armenian Organisations of France (CCAF)FRA Dachnaksoutioun – FranceBureau du Primat – Eglise Arménienne – FranceNor Seround – Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) – FranceArmenian Youth in France (JAF)Armenian House of the Youth and the Culture – MarseilleArmenian National Committee of France (ANC)

The Armenian Heritage Center – ValenceResearch Association of the Armenian Memory – Marseille
{{Portal bar, France

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

European diaspora in France Armenia–France relations Middle Eastern diaspora in France Immigration to France by country of origin

History

Early history

World War I and the Armenian genocide

World War II and the Fourth Republic

Migration of Armenians from the Middle East

Contemporary period

Culture

Language and education

Religion

Institutions

Media

France and the Armenian genocide

Notable French Armenians

Entertainment

Literature, theatre, journalism

Music

Painters

Politics

Sports

Miscellaneous

Fictional characters

See also

References

Bibliography

External links