List of French women writers

This is a list of women writers who were born in France or whose writings are closely associated with that country.

A

Juliette Adam (1836–1936), novelist, non-fiction writer, magazine editor
Marie d'Agoult, pen name Daniel Stern (1805–1876), novelist, essayist, history writer
Anne-Marie Albiach (1937–2012), poet, translator
Hortense Allart (1801–1879), feminist writer, essayist
Almucs de Castelnau (12th century), troubadour poet writing in Occitan
Catherine d'Amboise (1475–1550), semi-autobiographical novelist, poet
Virginie Ancelot (1792–1875), painter, playwright
Christine Angot (born 1959), novelist, playwright
Azalaïs d'Arbaud (1834–1917), Occitan-language writer
Sophie d'Arbouville (1810–1850), poet, short story writer
Catherine Arley, pen name of Pierrette Pernot (born 1924), novelist, actress
Angélique Arnaud (1799–1884), novelist, essayist, feminist
Madeleine de l’Aubespine (1546–1596), poet, literary patron, one of the earliest female erotic poets
Gwenaëlle Aubry (born 1971), novelist, philosopher, non-fiction writer
Colette Audry (1906–1990), novelist, screenwriter, critic
Marie-Catherine d'Aulnoy (c. 1650–1705), writer of fairy tales, historical novels
Félicie d'Ayzac (1801–1881), poet, art historian
Azalais de Porcairagues (12th century), Occitan-language troubadour

B

Tristane Banon (born 1979), novelist, journalist, television presenter
Arvède Barine (1840–1908), non-fiction writer, historian, literary critic
Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972), American-born poet, playwright, novelist, wrote mainly in French
Lauren Bastide (born 1981), French journalist
Sophie Bawr (1773–1860), playwright, non-fiction writer
Fanny de Beauharnais (1737–1813), poet, novelist, playwright, salonist
Simone de Beauvoir (1908–1986), novelist, essayist, existentialist philosopher, feminist
Béatrix Beck (1914–2008), novelist, short story writer, poet, of Belgian origin
Alice Becker-Ho (born 1941), poet, non-fiction writer
Claude de Bectoz (1490–1547), poet, letter writer
Géraldine Beigbeder, novelist, screen-writer
Maud de Belleroche (born 1922), best-selling novelist, memoirist, biographer
Loleh Bellon (1925–1999), actress and playwright
Yannick Bellon (1924–2019), film director and screenwriter
Juliette Benzoni (1920–2016), novelist
Catherine Bernard (1662–1712), poet, playwright, novelist
Paulette Bernège (1896–1973), journalist, housework specialist, prolific non-fiction writer
Emmanuèle Bernheim (1955–2017), novelist, screenwriter
Carmen Bernos de Gasztold (1919–1995), poet
Louise Bertin (1805–1877), composer, poet
Mireille Best (1943-2005), novelist, often featuring lesbian characters
Nella Bielski (born 1930s), Ukrainian-born French novelist, actress
Gisèle Bienne (born 1946), novelist, writer for young adults
Raphaële Billetdoux (born 1951), novelist
Marie-Claire Bancquart (1932–2019), poet, essayist, critic, educator
Marie Bonaparte-Wyse (1831–1902), novelist, playwright
Louise de Bossigny (?–1700), fairy tale writer
Catherine de Bourbon (1559–1604), princess, poet, letter writer
Jeanne Bouvier (1865-1964), feminist, trade unionist
Sarah Bouyain (born 1968), novelist, film director
Nina Bouraoui (born 1967), novelist
Dounia Bouzar (born 1964), anthropologist, writer
Marie-Anne de Bovet (1855-?), novelist, journalist
Anne-Sophie Brasme (born 1984), novelist
Geneviève Brisac (born 1951), novelist, short story writer, children's writer, critic, screenwriter
Josette Bruce (1920–1996), Polish-born novelist
Andrée Brunin (1937–1993), poet, many works set to music

C

Claude Cahun(1894–1954), poet, novelist, photograph, essayist, translator, résistante
Nina de Callias (1843–1884), poet, salonist
Amélie-Julie Candeille (1767–1834), composer, librettist, playwright
Marcelle Capy (1891–1962), novelist, journalist, pacifist
Marie Cardinal (1929–2001), novelist
Castelloza (13th century), troubadour poet
Claire Castillon (born 1975), novelist, playwright
Anne-Marie Cazalis (1920–1988), journalist, poet, essayist, novelist, actress
Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de La Force (1654–1724), successful novelist, poet, memoirist
Françoise Chandernagor (born 1945), novelist, playwright
Edmonde Charles-Roux (1920–2016), novelist, journalist, photographer
Noëlle Châtelet (born 1944), essayist, novelist, short story writer, educator
Chantal Chawaf (born 1943), novelist, essayist
Madeleine Chapsal (born 1925), novelist, poet, critic
Charlotte Saumaise de Chazan (1619-1684), poet and salon attendee
Élisabeth Sophie Chéron (1648–1711), painter, poet, translator
Maryse Choisy (1903–1979), philosopher, novelist, non-fiction writer
Hélène Cixous (born 1937), Algerian-born French novelist, poet, playwright, philosopher, critic, feminist writer
Catherine Clément (born 1939), philosopher, novelist, feminist, critic
Gabrielle de Coignard (1550–1586), religious poet
Louise Colet (1810–1876), poet, novelist, salonist
Colette (1873–1954), novelist, author of Gigi
Henriette de Coligny de La Suze (1618–1673), poet
Anne-Hyacinthe de Colleville (1761–1824), novelist, playwright
Danielle Collobert (1940–1978), poet, novelist, short story writer, journalist
Sophie Ristaud Cottin (1770–1807), novelist, several historical novels
Hélisenne de Crenne (1510–1552), novelist, epistolary writer, translator
Pauline Marie Armande Craven (1808–1891), non-fiction writer

D

Jocelyne Dakhlia (born 1959), French historian, anthropologist and academic
Gilberte H. Dallas, pen name of Gilberte Herschtel (1918-1960), poet, important member of the poètes maudits
Marie Darrieussecq (born 1969), novelist
Countess Dash, pen name of Gabrielle Anne Cisterne de Courtiras, vicomtesse de Saint-Mars (1804–1872), novelist
Régine Deforges (1935–2014), novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright
Alix Delaporte (born 1969), film director, screenwriter
Lucie Delarue-Mardrus (1874–1945), poet, novelist, journalist
Florence Delay (born 1941), novelist, essayist, playwright, translator, actress
Lucie Delarue-Mardrus (1874–1945), journalist, poet, novelist, sculptor
Sylvie Denis (born 1963), novelist, magazine editor, translator
Maria Deraismes (1828–1894), playwright, essayist, women's rights activist
Marceline Desbordes-Valmore (1786–1859), poet, novelist
Antoinette Des Houlières (1638–1694), poet
Marie-Anne Desmarest (1904–1973), novelist
Catherine Des Roches (1542–1587), Renaissance poet, daughter of Madelaine Des Roches
Madeleine Des Roches (c.1520–1587), Renaissance poet, mother of Catherine Des Roches
Madeleine Desroseaux (1873–1939), Breton poet, novelist, playwright, short story writer
Jeanne Deroin (1805–1894), journalist, women's activist after the Revolution
Dominique Desanti (1920–2011), journalist, novelist, biographer, educator
Agnès Desarthe (born 1966), children's writer, novelist
Marceline Desbordes-Valmore (1786–1859), poet
Maryline Desbiolles (born 1959), novelist
Anne Desclos (1907–1998), journalist, novelist, translator, known under pen-names Pauline Réage and Dominique Aury
Madeleine Desroseaux (1873–1939), Breton-language poet, novelist
Régine Deforges (1935–2014) best-selling novelist, editor, director, playwright, known for her erotic works
Antoinette Deshoulières (1638–1694), poet
Virginie Despentes (born 1969), novelist, autobiographical works
Marie Desplechin (born 1959), successful novelist, children's writer
Jane Dieulafoy (1851–1916), archaeologist, novelist, journalist
Geneviève Dormann (1933–2015), journalist, novelist
Pernette Du Guillet (c.1520–1545), Renaissance poet
Caroline Dubois (born 1960), poet
Charlotte Dubreuil (born 1940), novelist, filmmaker, screenwriter
Catherine Dufour (born 1966), novelist
Claire de Duras (1777–1828), novelist, author of Ourika
Marguerite Duras (1914–1996), novelist, playwright, screenwriter of Hiroshima mon amour
Vanessa Duriès (1972–1993), novelist, author of The Ties That Bind
Yvette Duval (1931–2006), Moroccan-born French historian specializing in ancient North Africa

E

Françoise d'Eaubonne (1920–2005), feminist essayist, science fiction novelist
Catherine Enjolet, French novelist and essayist
Annie Ernaux (born 1940), autobiographical novelist
Claire Etcherelli (born 1934), novelist

F

Geneviève Fauconnier (1886–1969), novelist
Madame de La Fayette (1634–1693), novelist, author of La Princesse de Clèves
Amanda Filipacchi (born 1967), French-born American novelist
Adelaide Filleul (1761–1836), novelist, one of the most distinguished writers of her times
Clara Filleul (1822–1878), painter and children's writer
Zénaïde Fleuriot (1829–1890), prolific novelist writing for young women
Pierrette Fleutiaux (1941–2019), novelist, short story writer
Brigitte Fontaine (born 1939), singer, novelist, playwright, poet
Viviane Forrester (1925–2013), essayist, novelist, critic
Jeanne-Justine Fouqueau de Pussy (1786-1863), author of children’s and educational works
Jocelyne François (born 1933), lesbian novelist, poet, diarist

G

Marie-Louise Gagneur (1832–1902), essayist, novelist and feminist
Jeanne Galzy (1883–1977), novelist, biographer
Anne-Marie Garat (born 1946), novelist
Anne F. Garréta (born 1962), novelist
Judith Gautier (1845–1917), poet, historical novelist, playwright, translator, music critic
Anna Gavalda (born 1970), best-selling novelist, short story writer, works widely translated
Sophie Gay (1776–1852), novelist, playwright, librettist
Stéphanie Félicité, comtesse de Genlis (1746–1830), novelist, playwright, children's writer
Rosemonde Gérard (1871–1953), poet, playwright
Sylvie Germain (born 1954), novelist, essayist, biographer
Amélie Gex (1835–1883), poet, also wrote in Franco-Provençal
Delphine de Girardin (1804–1855), essayist, poet, novelist
Anne Golon (1921–2017), novelist, author of the Angélique series of historical novels
Mélanie Gouby (active since 2011), journalist
Olympe de Gouges (1748–1793), playwright, feminist writer, executed after the Revolution
Marie de Gournay (1585–1645), novelist, essayist, critic
Françoise de Graffigny (1695–1758), novelist, playwright
Évelyne Grandjean (born 1939), actress, playwright, screenwriter
Henry Gréville, pen name of Alice Durand (1842–1902), widely translated novelist
Benoîte Groult (1920–2016), novelist, feminist
Claudine Guérin de Tencin (1682–1749), literary patron, novelist, letter writer
Pernette du Guillet (c. 1520–1545), poet, most of her works intended to be set to music as songs

H

Béatrice Hammer (born 1963), novelist, children's writer, playwright
Mireille Havet (1898–1932), poet, diarist, novelist
Nathalie Henneberg (1910–1977), science fiction novelist
Catherine Hermary-Vieille (born 1943), novelist
Adèle Hommaire de Hell (1819–1883), explorer and travel writer

J

Paula Jacques (born 1949), Egyptian-born French novelist, journalist, radio host
Gaëlle Josse (born 1960), poet, novelist

K

Fabienne Kanor (born 1970), journalist, novelist, filmmaker
Maylis de Kerangal (born 1967), novelist
Nadia Yala Kisukidi (born 1978), philosopher
Thérèse Kuoh-Moukouri (born 1938), Cameroon-born French novelist, essayist

L

Anne de La Roche-Guilhem (1644–1710), novelist, moved to England
Sylvie Lainé (born 1957), science fiction novelist, short story writer
Jeanne Lapauze (1860–1920), born Jeanne Loiseau, poet, novelist, used the pen name Daniel Lesueur [[see: Loiseau at www.daniel-lesueur.com (1854-1921) <<french version>>]]
Camille Laurens (born 1957), novelist
Linda Lê (born 1963), Vietnamese-born French novelist
Simone Le Bargy (1877–1985), actress, novelist, memoirist
Martine Le Coz (born 1955), novelist, poet, non-fiction writer
Violette Leduc (1907–1972), best-selling novelist, autobiographer
Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont (1711–1780), novelist, fairy tale writer, author of Beauty and the Beast

M

Jeanne Marni (1854–1910), novelist, playwright, essayist
Anne de Marquets (c. 1533–1588), religious poet, nun, author of Les Sonets spirituels
Agnès Martin-Lugand (born 1979), best-seller novelist
Sophie Massieu (born 1975), journalist
Renée Massip (1907–2002), novelist, journalist
Nicole-Claude Mathieu (1937–2014), sociologist specializing in gender studies
Meavenn, pen name of Francine Rozec (1911–1992), Breton-language poet, novelist, playwright
Natacha Michel (born 1941), political activist, novelist, critic
Jane Misme (1865–1935), journalist, feminist
Ursule Molinaro (1916–2000), French-American novelist, playwright, translator, wrote in French and English
Kenizé Mourad (born 1939), journalist, non-fiction writer and novelist

N

Marguerite de Navarre (1492–1549), poet, playwright, short story writer, author of the short story collection Heptaméron
Marie NDiaye (born 1967), novelist, playwright
Anna de Noailles (1876–1933), highly acclaimed novelist, poet, autobiographer
Florence Noiville (born 1961), journalist, children's writer, novelist, non-fiction writer

O

Véronique Olmi (born 1962), novelist, playwright, short story writer
Mona Ozouf (born 1931), historian, philosopher

P

Katherine Pancol (born 1954), best-selling novelist, journalist, author of Les Yeux jaunes des crocodiles (The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles)
Madeleine Pelletier (1874–1939), feminist writer
Georges de Peyrebrune (1841–1917), prolific novelist, columnist, feminist
Anne Plichota (born 1968), children's writer, novelist
Maria Pognon (1844–1925) - writer, journal editor, feminist, suffragist and pacifist
Aliénor de Poitiers (15th century), writer on court etiquette
Alice Poulleau (1885–1960), travel writer, geographer

R

Rachilde, pen name of Marguerite Vallette-Eymery (1860–1953), novelist, non-fiction writer, author of Monsieur Vénus
Geneviève-Françoise Randon de Malboissière (1746-1766), playwright, poet, multi-lingual translator
Pauline Réage, pen-name of Anne Desclos (1907-1998), who also used the pen-name Dominique Aury, novelist, editor, critic, author of Story of O (Histoire d'O)
Marie Redonnet, pen name of Martine L'hospitalier (born 1948), poet, novelist, essayist, short story writer, playwright
Christine Renard (1929–1979), science fiction novelist
Yasmina Reza (born 1959), playwright, novelist, actress, screenwriter, author of God of Carnage
Marie Jeanne Riccoboni (1714–1792), novelist, editor
Catherine Rihoit (born 1950), novelist, biographer
Christine de Rivoyre (1921–2019), novelist, journalist
Antoinette Henriette Clémence Robert (1797–1872), novelist, playwright
Nina Roberts (born 1979), erotic novelist, actress
Tatiana de Rosnay (born 1961), journalist, best-selling novelist, screenwriter,
Marie-Anne de Roumier-Robert (1705–1771), early science fiction novelist
Pascale Roze (born 1954), playwright, novelist, author of Sarah's Key (Elle s'appelait Sarah)
Léonie Rouzade (1839–1916), journalist, novelist and feminist

S

Françoise Sagan (1935–2004), playwright, novelist, screenwriter, author of Bonjour Tristesse
Vefa de Saint-Pierre (1872–1967), explorer, reporter, Breton-language poet, children's writer
Lydie Salvayre (born 1948), novelist, works widely translated
George Sand (1804–1876), novelist, playwright, author of Indiana
Anne de Seguier 16th century French poet and salon holder
Nathalie Sarraute (1900–1999), Russian-born French novelist, pioneer of the nouveau roman
Albertine Sarrazin (1937-1967), French-Algerian novelist, essayist, poet
Simone Schwarz-Bart (born 1938), Guadeloupian-French novelist, playwright, non-fiction writer
Ann Scott (born 1965), novelist, short story writer
Madeleine de Scudéry (1607–1701), novelist, works containing lengthy conversations
Countess of Ségur (1799–1874), Russian-born French novelist, children's writer
Eulalie de Senancour (1791–1876), journalist, novelist, children's writer
Coline Serreau (born 1947), actress, film director, playwright, essayist
Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné (1626–1696), letter writer
Shan Sa, pen name of Yan Ni (born 1972), Chinese-born French poet, novelist, painter, now writing in French
Germaine de Staël, also Madame de Staël (1766–1817), essayist, novelist, non-fiction writer, salonist
Louise Swanton Belloc (1796–1881), translator, essayist, novelist, non-fiction writer, children's book writer, feminist

T

Tibors de Sarenom (12th century), troubadour poet, writing in Occitan
Chantal Thomas (born 1945), historian, novelist
Édith Thomas (1909–1970), novelist, historian, journalist
Gilles Thomas, pen name of Éliane Taïeb (1929–1985), science fiction novelist
Annette Tison (born 1942), architect, children's writer, co-creator of Barbapapa
Valerie Toranian (born 1962), journalist, editor of Elle
Nicole Tourneur (1950–2011), novelist, children's writer
Elsa Triolet (1896–1970), Russian-born French novelist, first women to win the Prix Goncourt, wrote in Russian and French
Nadine Trintignant (born 1934), film editor, writer, director, producer, and novelist
Flora Tristan (1803–1844), socialist writer, feminist

V

Valérie Valère (1961–1981), best selling autobiographical novelist
Fred Vargas, pen name of Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau (born 1957), best-selling crime fiction writer, historian
Delphine de Vigan (born 1966), best-selling novelist, author of No et moi translated into 20 languages
Marie-Catherine de Villedieu (1640–1683), playwright, novelist, short story writer
Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve (c.1695–1755), novelist, fairy tale writer, author of Belle et la Bête
Louise Lévêque de Vilmorin (1902–1969), novelist, poet, journalist
Renée Vivien (1877–1909), British-born French-language poet, often writing autobiographical verse
Élisabeth Vonarburg (born 1947), science-fiction novelist

W

Simone Weil (1909–1943), philosopher, non-fiction works
Anne Wiazemsky (1947–2017), German-born French novelist, actress
Joëlle Wintrebert (born 1949), science fiction novelist, children's writer
Monique Wittig (1935–2003), novelist, playwright, feminist writer
Cendrine Wolf (born 1969), children's writer, collaborates with Anne Plichota

List of French women writers

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

V

W

Y

Z

References

See also