The Prix Théophraste-Renaudot or () is a French
literary award
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 c ...
.
History

The prize was created in 1926 by ten
art critic
An art critic is a person who is specialized in analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating art. Their written critiques or reviews contribute to art criticism and they are published in newspapers, magazines, books, exhibition brochures, and catalogue ...
s awaiting the results of deliberation of the jury of the
Prix Goncourt
The 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 of only 10 euros, but resul ...
. While not officially related to the Prix Goncourt, it remains a complement to it: The laureate is announced at the same time and place as the Prix Goncourt, namely on the first Tuesday of November at the
Drouant restaurant in Paris. The Renaudot jurors always pick an alternative laureate in case their first choice is awarded the Prix Goncourt.
The prize is named after
Théophraste Renaudot, who created the first French newspaper in 1631.
In 2013, the Prix Redaudot ''essay'' revived the career of
Gabriel Matzneff, which collapsed in 2020 as his
paedophilia
Pedophilia ( alternatively spelled paedophilia) is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Although girls typically begin the process of pube ...
– long known and defended by his literary peers, including the Renaudot jurors – became more widely known through a report of one of his victims,
Vanessa Springora. In the view of ''The New York Times'', the episode illustrated "the self-perpetuating and impenetrable nature of many of France's elite institutions", including the , where "control often rests with a small, established group — overwhelmingly older, white men — that rewards like-minded friends", disregarding conflicts of interest.
At the time, only one woman sat on the jury of the prize. French media also criticized the prize, and one judge,
Jérôme Garcin, left the jury, but no changes took place.
Jury
As of 2021, the jury consists of:
*
Christian Giudicelli
*
Dominique Bona
*
Franz-Olivier Giesbert
*
Georges-Olivier Châteaureynaud
*
Jean-Noël Pancrazi
*
Patrick Besson
*
Frédéric Beigbeder
Frédéric Beigbeder (; born 21 September 1965) is a French writer, literary critic and television presenter. He won the Prix Interallié in 2003 for his novel '' Windows on the World'' and the Prix Renaudot in 2009 for his book '' A French Nov ...
* Stéphanie Janicot
*
Cécile Guilbert
*
J. M. G. Le Clezio
Laureates
* 1926: ''Nicolo Peccavi'',
Armand Lunel (
Éditions Gallimard
Éditions Gallimard (), formerly Éditions de la Nouvelle Revue Française (1911–1919) and Librairie Gallimard (1919–1961), is one of the leading French book publishers. In 2003, it and its subsidiaries published 1,418 titles.
Founded by G ...
)
* 1927: ''Maïtena'',
Bernard Nabonne (Grasset)
* 1928: ''Le Joueur de triangle'',
André Obey
André Obey (; 8 May 1892 at Douai, France – 11 April 1975 at Montsoreau, near the river Loire) was a prominent French playwright during the inter-war years and into the 1950s.
He began as a novelist and produced an autobiographical novel about ...
(Grasset)
* 1929: ''
La Table aux crevés'',
Marcel Aymé
Marcel Aymé (; 29 March 1902 – 14 October 1967) was a French novelist and playwright, who also wrote screenplays and works for children.
Biography
Marcel André Aymé was born in Joigny, in the Burgundy region of France, the youngest ...
(Gallimard)
* 1930: ''Piège'',
Germaine Beaumont (Lemerre)
* 1931: ''L'Innocent'',
Philippe Hériat (Denoël)
* 1932: ''
Voyage au bout de la nuit'',
Louis-Ferdinand Céline (Denoël)
* 1933: ''Le roi dort'',
Charles Braibant (Denoël)
* 1934: ''Blanc'', Louis Francis (Gallimard)
* 1935: ''Jours sans gloire'',
François de Roux (Gallimard)
* 1936: ''Les Beaux Quartiers'',
Louis Aragon
Louis Aragon (; 3 October 1897 – 24 December 1982) was a French poet who was one of the leading voices of the Surrealism, surrealist movement in France. He co-founded with André Breton and Philippe Soupault the surrealist review ''Littératur ...
(Denoël)
* 1937: ''Mervale'',
Jean Rogissart (Denoël)
* 1938: ''Léonie la bienheureuse'',
Pierre Jean Launay (Denoël)
* 1939: ''Les Javanais'',
Jean Malaquais (Denoël)
* 1940: ''La Vallée heureuse'',
Jules Roy (Charlot)
* 1941: ''Quand le temps travaillait pour nous'',
Paul Mousset (Grasset)
* 1942: ''Les Liens de chaîne'',
Robert Gaillard (Colbert)
* 1943: ''J'étais médecin avec les chars'', Dr.
André Soubiran (Didier)
* 1944: ''
Les Amitiés particulières'',
Roger Peyrefitte (La Table ronde)
* 1945: ''Le Mas Théotime'',
Henri Bosco (Charlot)
* 1946: ''L'Univers concentrationnaire'',
David Rousset (Minuit)
* 1947: ''Je vivrai l'amour des autres'',
Jean Cayrol (Le Seuil)
* 1948: ''Voyage aux horizons'',
Pierre Fisson (Julliard)
* 1949: ''Le Jeu de patience'',
Louis Guilloux (Gallimard)
* 1950: ''Les Orgues de l'enfer'',
Pierre Molaine (Corréa)
* 1951: ''Le Dieu nu'',
Robert Margerit (Gallimard)
* 1952: ''L'Amour de rien'',
Jacques Perry (Julliard)
* 1953: ''La Dernière Innocence'',
Célia Bertin (Corréa)
* 1954: ''Le Passage'',
Jean Reverzy (Julliard)
* 1955: ''Le Moissonneur d'épines'',
Georges Govy (La Table ronde)
* 1956: ''Le Père'', André Perrin (Julliard)
* 1957: ''
La Modification'',
Michel Butor
Michel Butor (; 14 September 1926 – 24 August 2016) was a French poet, novelist, teacher, essayist, art critic and translator.
Life and work
Michel Marie François Butor was born in Mons-en-Barœul, a suburb of Lille, the third of seven chil ...
(Minuit)
* 1958: ''La Lézarde'',
Édouard Glissant (Le Seuil)
* 1959: ''L'Expérience'',
Albert Palle (Julliard)
* 1960: ''Le Bonheur fragile'',
Alfred Kern (Gallimard)
* 1961: ''Les Blés'',
Roger Bordier (Calmann-Lévy)
* 1962: ''Le Veilleur de nuit'',
Simone Jacquemard (Le Seuil)
* 1963: ''Le Procès-verbal'',
J. M. G. Le Clézio (Gallimard)
* 1964: ''L'Écluse'',
Jean-Pierre Faye
Jean-Pierre Faye (born 19 July 1925) is a French philosopher and writer of fiction and prose poetry.
Life and career
Faye was born in Paris. He was member of the editing committee of the avant-garde literary review '' Tel Quel'', and later of ' ...
(Le Seuil)
* 1965: ''
Les Choses'',
Georges Perec
Georges Perec (; 7 March 1936 – 3 March 1982) was a French novelist, filmmaker, documentalist, and essayist. He was a member of the Oulipo group. His father died as a soldier early in the Second World War and his mother was killed in the Ho ...
(Julliard)
* 1966: ''La Bataille de Toulouse'',
José Cabanis (Gallimard)
* 1967: ''Le Monde tel qu'il est'',
Salvat Etchart (Mercure de France)
* 1968: ''Le Devoir de violence'',
Yambo Ouologuem (Le Seuil)
* 1969: ''Les Feux de la colère'',
Max Olivier-Lacamp (Grasset)
* 1970: ''Isabelle ou l'arrière-saison'',
Jean Freustié (La Table ronde)
* 1971: ''Le Sac du palais d'été'',
Pierre-Jean Rémy (Gallimard)
* 1972: ''La Nuit américaine'',
Christopher Frank (Le Seuil)
* 1973: ''La Terrasse des Bernardini'',
Suzanne Prou (Calmann-Lévy)
* 1974: ''Voyage à l'étranger'',
Georges Borgeaud (Grasset)
* 1975: ''L'Homme de sable'',
Jean Joubert (Grasset)
* 1976: ''L'Amour les yeux fermés'',
Michel Henry (Gallimard)
* 1977: ''Les Combattants du petit bonheur'',
Alphonse Boudard (La Table ronde)
* 1978: ''
L'Herbe à brûler'',
Conrad Detrez (Calmann-Lévy)
* 1979: ''Affaires étrangères'',
Jean-Marc Roberts (Le Seuil)
* 1980: ''Les Portes de Gubbio'',
Danièle Sallenave (Le Seuil)
* 1981: ''La Nuit du décret'',
Michel Del Castillo (Le Seuil)
* 1982: ''La Faculté des songes'',
Georges-Olivier Châteaureynaud (Grasset)
* 1983: ''Avant-Guerre'',
Jean-Marie Rouart (Grasset)
* 1984: ''La Place'',
Annie Ernaux (Gallimard)
* 1985: ''Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours'',
Raphaëlle Billetdoux (Grasset)
* 1986: ''Station balnéaire'',
Christian Giudicelli (Gallimard)
* 1987: ''L'Enfant halluciné'',
René-Jean Clot (Grasset)
* 1988: ''
Hadriana dans tous mes rêves'',
René Depestre (Gallimard)
* 1989: ''Les Comptoirs du Sud'',
Philippe Doumenc (Le Seuil)
* 1990: ''Les Frères Romance'',
Jean Colombier (Calmann-Lévy)
* 1991: ''La Séparation'',
Dan Franck
Dan Franck (born 17 October 1952 in Paris) is a French novelist and screenwriter.
His novel ''La Séparation'' won the 1991 Prix Renaudot, and was made into a movie, ''La Séparation''.
Works
*''Apolline'', Seuil, 1997,
*''Bohèmes'' Calman ...
(Le Seuil)
* 1992: ''La Démence du boxeur'',
François Weyergans (Gallimard)
* 1993: ''Les Corps célestes'',
Nicolas Bréhal
* 1994: ''Comme ton père'',
Guillaume Le Touze (L'Olivier)
* 1995: ''Les Braban'',
Patrick Besson
* 1996: ''Un silence d'environ une demi-heure'',
Boris Schreiber
* 1997: ''
Les Voleurs de beauté'',
Pascal Bruckner (Grasset)
* 1998: ''Le Manuscrit de Port-Ebène'',
Dominique Bona (Gallimard)
* 1999: ''L'Enfant léopard'',
Daniel Picouly (Grasset)
* 2000: ''Allah n'est pas obligé'',
Ahmadou Kourouma (Le Seuil)
* 2001: ''Céleste'',
Martine Le Coz (Editions du Rocher)
* 2002: ''Assam'',
Gérard de Cortanze (Albin Michel)
* 2003: ''
Les Âmes grises'',
Philippe Claudel
Philippe Claudel (born 2 February 1962) is a French writer and film director.
Claudel was born in Dombasle-sur-Meurthe, Meurthe-et-Moselle. In addition to his writing, Claudel is a professor of literature at the University of Nancy.
He directe ...
(Stock)
* 2004: ''
Suite française'',
Irène Némirovsky (Denoël)
* 2005: ''Mes mauvaises pensées'',
Nina Bouraoui (Stock)
* 2006: ''Mémoires de porc-épic'',
Alain Mabanckou (Le Seuil)
* 2007: ''Chagrin d'école'',
Daniel Pennac (
Gallimard)
* 2008: ''Le Roi de Kahel'' (''
The King of Kahel''),
Tierno Monénembo (Le Seuil)
* 2009: ''
Un roman français'',
Frédéric Beigbeder
Frédéric Beigbeder (; born 21 September 1965) is a French writer, literary critic and television presenter. He won the Prix Interallié in 2003 for his novel '' Windows on the World'' and the Prix Renaudot in 2009 for his book '' A French Nov ...
(Grasset)
* 2010: ''Apocalypse bébé'',
Virginie Despentes (Grasset)
* 2011: ''
Limonov'',
Emmanuel Carrère (P.O.L.)
* 2012: ''Notre-Dame du Nil'',
Scholastique Mukasonga
Scholastique Mukasonga (born 1956) is a French- Rwandan author born in the former Gikongoro province of Rwanda. In 2012, she won the prix Renaudot and the prix Ahmadou-Kourouma for her book '' Our Lady of the Nile.'' In addition to being a f ...
(Gallimard/Continents Noirs)
* 2013: ''Naissance'',
Yann Moix (Grasset)
* 2014: ''Charlotte'',
David Foenkinos (Gallimard)
* 2015: ''D'après une histoire vraie'',
Delphine de Vigan (Lattès)
* 2016: ''Babylone'',
Yasmina Reza
Yasmina Reza (; born 1 May 1959) is a French playwright, actress, novelist and screenwriter best known for her plays ''Art (play), 'Art and ''God of Carnage''. Many of her brief satiric plays have reflected on contemporary middle-class issues. ...
(Flammarion)
* 2017: ''
La disparition de Josef Mengele'',
Olivier Guez (Grasset)
* 2018: ''Le Sillon'',
Valérie Manteau (Le Tripode)
* 2019: ''La Panthère des neiges'',
Sylvain Tesson (Gallimard)
* 2020: ''Histoire du fils'',
Marie-Hélène Lafon (
Buchet/Chastel)
* 2021: ''Premier Sang'',
Amélie Nothomb (Albin Michel)
* 2022: ''Performance'',
Simon Liberati (Grasset)
* 2023: ''Les Insolents'',
Ann Scott["Le prix Renaudot 2023 attribué à Ann Scott pour 'Les Insolents'"]
'' France Info'', 7 November 2023.
* 2024: ''Jacaranda'',
Gaël Faye
Other awards
Prix Renaudot de l'essai
* 2001: ''Protée et autres essais'',
Simon Leys (Gallimard)
* 2002: ''Le Silence de Delphes'',
Claude-Michel Cluny (La Différence)
* 2003: ''Dictionnaire amoureux de l'Amérique'',
Yves Berger (Plon)
* 2004: ''Madame Proust'',
Évelyne Bloch-Dano (Grasset)
* 2005: ''Le Roman de Constantinople'',
Gilles Martin-Chauffier (Le Rocher)
* 2006: ''Jean-François Revel : un esprit libre'',
Pierre Boncenne (Plon)
* 2007: ''Le Benarès-Kyôto'',
Olivier Germain-Thomas (Le Rocher)
* 2008: ''Autobiographie d'un épouvantail'',
Boris Cyrulnik (Odile Jacob)
* 2009: ''Alias Caracalla'',
Daniel Cordier (Gallimard)
* 2010: ''L'affaire de l'esclave Furcy'',
Mohammed Aïssaoui (Gallimard)
* 2011: ''Fontenoy ne reviendra plus'',
Gérard Guégan (Stock)
* 2012: ''Le Dernier Modèle'',
Frank Maubert (Fayard)
* 2013: ''Séraphin c'est la fin!'',
Gabriel Matzneff (La Table ronde)
* 2014: ''De chez nous'',
Christian Authier (Stock)
* 2015: ''Leïlah Mahi 1932'',
Didier Blonde (Gallimard)
[
* 2016: ''Le Monde libre'', ]Aude Lancelin
Aude Lancelin (; born 7 June 1973, Tours) is a French journalist.
She was previously deputy editor-in-chief at two prominent French weekly magazines: ''Marianne (magazine), Marianne'' from 2011 to 2014 and ''L'Obs'' from 2014 to 2016. She joined ...
(Les Liens qui libèrent)
* 2017: ''De l'ardeur'', Justine Augier (Actes Sud)
* 2018: ''Avec toutes mes sympathies'', Olivia de Lamberterie (Stock)
* 2019: ''(Très) cher cinéma français'', Éric Neuhoff (Albin Michel)
* 2020: ''Les Villes de papier : Une vie d'Emily Dickinson'', Dominique Fortier (Alto, Grasset)
* 2021: ''Dans ma rue y avait trois boutiques'' Anthony Palou (Presses de la Cité)
* 2022: ''Déjeunons sur l'herbe'', Guillaume Durand (Bouquins)
* 2023: ''De Gaulle, une vie : l'homme de personne (1890–1944)'', Jean-Luc Barré[
]
Prix Renaudot du livre de poche
* 2009: ''Palestine'', Hubert Haddad (Le Livre de Poche/Zulma)
* 2010: ''L'origine de la violence'', Fabrice Humbert (Le Livre de poche)
* 2011: ''A l'enfant que je n'aurai pas'', Linda Lê (NiL)
* 2012: ''Les Vieilles'', Pascale Gautier (Folio/Gallimard)
* 2013: ''Le Pérégrin émerveillé'', Jean-Louis Gouraud (Babel/Actes Sud)
* 2014: ''Le Garçon incassable'', Florence Seyvos (Points)
* 2015: ''La fiancée était à dos d'âne'', Vénus Khoury-Ghata (Folio/Gallimard)
* 2016: ''La mémoire du monde'', Stéphanie Janicot (Le Livre de poche)
* 2017: ''Les méduses ont-elles sommeil ?'', (Folio/Gallimard)
* 2018: ''Dieu, Allah, moi et les autres'', Salim Bachi (Folio/Gallimard)
* 2019: ''Une vieille histoire. Nouvelle version'', Jonathan Littell (Folio/Gallimard)
* 2020: ''Charles de Gaulle'', (Tempus/Perrin)
* 2021: ''Louis Jouvet'', Olivier Rony
* 2022: ''Vivre avec nos morts'', Delphine Horvilleur
* 2023: ''Le Retournement'', Manuel Carcassonne[
]
Prix Renaudot des lycéens
* 1992: ''Aden'', Anne-Marie Garat, (Seuil)
* 1993: ''Jacob Jacobi'', , (Julliard)
* 1994: ''Une mort de théâtre'', Claude Mourthé, (Julliard)
* 1995: ''Le Jeu du roman'', Louise Lambrichs (Seuil)
* 1996: ''L'Ode à la reine'', (Calmann-Lévy)
* 1997: ''L'Homme du cinquième jour'', Jean-Philippe Arrou-Vignod, (Gallimard)
* 1998: ''Une poignée de gens'', Anne Wiazemsky, (Gallimard)
* 1999: ''Foraine'', Paul Fournel, (Seuil)
* 2000: ''Dans ces bras-là '', Camille Laurens, (POL)
* 2001: ''Le Soir du chien'', Marie-Hélène Lafon, (Buchet Chastel)
* 2002: ''La Métaphysique du chien'', , (Buchet Chastel)
* 2003: ''Silence, on ment'', , (Grasset)
* 2004: ''La Dernière Leçon'', Noëlle Châtelet, (Seuil)
* 2005: ''Festins secrets'', , (L'Esprit des péninsules)
* 2006: ''Maos'', Morgan Sportès, (Grasset)
* 2007: ' Carole Martinez, (Gallimard)
* 2008: ''Le Voyage du fils,'' , (Grasset)
* 2009: ''Ce que je sais de Vera Candida'', Véronique Ovaldé, (L'Olivier)
* 2010: ''Dans la nuit brune'' Agnès Desarthe, (L'Olivier)
* 2011: ''Rien ne s'oppose à la nuit'', Delphine de Vigan, (Jean-Claude Lattès)
* 2012: ''L'Hiver des hommes'', Lionel Duroy, (Julliard)
* 2013: ''Plonger'', , (Gallimard)
* 2014: '' L'Amour et les Forêts'', Éric Reinhardt, (Gallimard)
* 2015: ''Juste avant l'oubli'', Alice Zeniter
* 2016: '' Giboulées de soleil'', Lenka Hornakova-Civade, (Alma)
* 2017: '' Nos richesses'', Kaouther Adimi, (Le Seuil)
* 2018: ''La Vraie vie'', Adeline Dieudonné (L'Iconoclaste)
* 2019: ''Le Bal des folles'', (Albin Michel)
* 2020: ''Le Métier de Mourir'', Jean-René Van der Plaetsen (Grasset)
* 2021: ''La carte postale,'' Anne Berest (Grasset)
* 2022: ''On était des loups'', Sandrine Collette
* 2023: ''Panorama'', Lilia Hassaine
Further reading
Prix Renaudot : histoire d'un prix littéraire anti-Goncourt
(originally published on lireka.com)
References
{{Authority control
Awards established in 1926
French fiction awards
Non-fiction literary awards
1926 establishments in France