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Institut de France

(Encyclopedia)Institut de France ăNstētüˈ də fräNs [key], cultural institution of the French state. Founded in 1795 by the Directory, it replaced five learned societies that had been suppressed in 1793 by the...

Depardieu, Gérard

(Encyclopedia)Depardieu, Gérard jĕˌrärdˈ dəpärˌdyöˈ [key], 1948–, French actor, b. Châteauroux. He is a versatile, highly successful actor, who has performed on stage and screen in France and also has ...

Charlevoix, Pierre François Xavier de

(Encyclopedia)Charlevoix, Pierre François Xavier de pyĕr fräNswäˈ zävyāˈ də shärləvwäˈ [key], 1682–1761, French Jesuit traveler and historian. He taught at the Jesuit college in Quebec and at the Col...

Chouans

(Encyclopedia)Chouans sho͞oˈənz, Fr. shwäN [key] [Norman Fr.,=owls], peasants of W France who rose against the French Revolutionary government in 1793. One of their first leaders was Jean Cottereau, traditional...

Lecouvreur, Adrienne

(Encyclopedia)Lecouvreur, Adrienne ädrēĕnˈ ləko͞ovrörˈ [key], 1692–1730, French actress. With Michel Baron she helped change the traditional acting techniques of the French stage to a simpler, more natura...

Eyzies-de-Tayac, Les

(Encyclopedia)Eyzies-de-Tayac, Les lā zāzēˈ-də-tīäkˈ [key], or Les Eyzies, village, Dordogn...

Coligny, Gaspard de Châtillon, comte de

(Encyclopedia)Coligny, Gaspard de Châtillon, comte de gäspärˈ də shätēyôNˈ kôNt də kōlēnyēˈ [key], 1519–72, French Protestant leader. A nephew of Anne, duc de Montmorency, he came to the French cou...

Vogüé, Eugène Marie Melchior, vicomte de

(Encyclopedia)Vogüé, Eugène Marie Melchior, vicomte de özhĕnˈ märēˈ mĕlkyôrˈ vēkôNtˈ də vôgüāˈ [key], 1848–1910, French critic. He fought in the Franco-Prussian War and was imprisoned for six ...

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