History of France

Main

French Revolution Begins

1789

French citizens storm Bastille, a Paris prison to begin the French Revolution

French Revolution Ends

1799

Napoleon Bonaparte crowns himself Emperor

1804

Napoleon defeated at Waterloo

1815

Napoleon defeated at Waterloo in Belgium

Tour de France Begins

1903

Henry Desgrange founds the Tour de France

World War I

1914 - 1918

France battles Germany in World War I

Treaty of Versailles

1919

Germany Invades France

1940

World War II

General Charles de Gaulle becomes the head of Provisional Government

1944

Paris is freed from German occupation

Charles de Gaulle becomes the president of the 5th Republic and is reelected

1958

He is reelected in 1965

Francois Mitterand is elected president

1981 - 1995

He becomes the longest serving president in French history by staying in office for 14 years

Edith Cresson is elected Prime Minister

1991

She becomes the 1st female Prime Minister

The Channel Tunnel opens

1994

This connects France and Britain under the English Channel

Euro bills/coins are introduced tho France

2002