List of French-language poets

List of poets who have written in the French language:

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

A

Céline Arnauld (1885-1952)

• Louise-Victorine Ackermann (1813–1890)
• Adam de la Halle (v.1250 – v.1285)
• Dominique Aguessy (1937– )^[1]
• Pierre Albert-Birot (1876–1967)
• Anne-Marie Albiach (1937–2012)
• Pierre Alféri (1963)
• Marc Alyn (1937)
• Catherine d'Amboise (1475–1550)
• Jean Amrouche (1906–1962)
• Guillaume Apollinaire (1880–1918)
• Louis Aragon (1897–1982)
• Jacques Arnold (1912–1995)
• Hans Arp (1887–1966)
• Antonin Artaud (1896–1948)
• Théodore Agrippa d'Aubigné (1552–1630)
• Jacques Audiberti (1899–1965)
• Pierre Autin-Grenier (1947–2014)

B

• Jean-Antoine de Baïf (1532–1589)
• Luisa Ballesteros Rosas (born 1957)
• Théodore de Banville (1823–1891)
• Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly (1807–1889)
• Henri Auguste Barbier (1805–1882)
• Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972)
• Linda Maria Baros (1981)
• Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas (1544–1590)
• Henry Bataille (1872–1922)
• Henry Bauchau (1913–2012)
• Charles Baudelaire (1821–1867)
• Marcel Béalu (1908–1993)
• Philippe Beck (1963)
• Samuel Beckett (1906–1989)
• Joachim du Bellay (1522–1560)
• Rémy Belleau (1528–1577)
• Charles Beltjens (1832–1890)
• Tahar Ben Jelloun (1944)
• Isaac de Benserade (1612–1691)
• Annie Bentoiu (1927–2015)^[2]
• Pierre-Jean de Béranger (1780–1857)
• Christian Bernard (1950)
• Béroul (12th century)
• Louky Bersianik (1965)
• Aloysius Bertrand (1807–1841)
• Gérard Bessière (1928–2024)
• Maurice Blanchot (1907–2003)
• Blondel de Nesle (12th–13th centuries)
• Christian Bobin (1951–2022)
• Jean Bodel (1165–1210)
• Étienne de La Boétie (1530–1563)
• Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux (1636–1711)
• Bonaventure Des Périers (1500–1544)
• Yves Bonnefoy (1923–2016)
• Pétrus Borel (1809–1859)
• Bertran de Born (1150–1215 ?)
• Robert de Boron (12th–13th centuries)
• Théodore Botrel (1868–1925)
• André du Bouchet (1924–2001)
• Daniel Boulanger (1922–2014)
• Stéphane Bouquet (1967)
• Joë Bousquet (1897–1950)
• Georges Brassens (1921–1981)
• Jacques Brault (1933–2022)
• André Breton (1896–1966)
• Nicole Brossard (1943)
• Aristide Bruant (1851–1925)
• Gace Brulé (c.1160 – after 1213)
• Andrée Brunin (1937–1993)
• Michel Butor (1926–2016)

C

• Louis Calaferte (1928–1994)
• Susana Calandrelli (1901–1978)
• Jean-Pierre Calloc'h (1888–1917)
• Émile Cammaerts (1878–1953)
• Côtis-Capel (1915–1986)
• Placide Cappeau (1808–1877)
• Adolphe Joseph Carcassonne (1826–1891)
• Francis Carco (1886–1958)
• Maurice Carême (1899–1978)
• Jean Cayrol (1911–2005)
• Rose Celli (1895–1982)
• Blaise Cendrars (1887–1961)
• Aimé Césaire (1913–2008)
• Jean Chapelain (1595–1674)
• Maurice Chappaz (1916–2009)
• René Char (1907–1988)
• Alain Chartier (1385–1430)
• François-René de Chateaubriand (1768–1848)
• Malcolm de Chazal (1902–1981)
• Andrée Chedid (1920–2011)
• Charles-Julien Lioult de Chênedollé (1769–1833)
• François Cheng (1929)
• André Chénier (1762–1794)
• Jacques Chessex (1934–2009)
• Chrétien de Troyes (c.1135 – c.1183)
• Paul Claudel (1868–1955)
• William Cliff (1940)
• Jean Cocteau (1889–1963)
• Gabrielle de Coignard (1550–1586)
• Louise Colet (1810–1876)
• Danielle Collobert (1940–1978)
• Claude Confortès (1928–2016)
• Conon de Béthune (c.1150 – 1220)
• Benoît Conort (1956)
• François Coppée (1842–1908)
• Tristan Corbière (1845–1875)
• Pierre Corneille (1606–1684)
• Charles Cotin (1604–1681)
• Gaston Couté (1880–1911)
• Watriquet de Couvin (active 1319–1329)
• Octave Crémazie (1827–1879)
• René Crevel (1900–1935)
• Charles Cros (1842–1888)

D

• Jean Daive (1941)
• Léon-Gontran Damas (1914–1978)
• René Daumal (1908–1944)
• François David (1870–1939)
• Anne-Marie de Backer (1908–1987)
• Lise Deharme (1898–1979)
• Lucie Delarue-Mardrus (1880–1945)
• Yanette Delétang-Tardif (1902–1976)
• Jacques Delille (1738–1813)
• René Depestre (1926)
• Tristan Derème (1889–1941)
• Paul Déroulède (1846–1914)
• Maryline Desbiolles (1959)
• Marceline Desbordes-Valmore (1786–1859)
• Émile Deschamps (1791–1871)
• Eustache Deschamps (1346–1406)
• Robert Desnos (1900–1945)
• Philippe Desportes (1546–1606)
• Jean-Pierre Desthuilliers (1939–2013)
• Bruno Destrée (1867–1919)
• Léon Deubel (1879–1913)
• Souéloum Diagho
• Mohammed Dib (1920–2003)
• David Diop (1927–1960)
• Charles Dobzynski (1929–2014)
• Jean Dorat (1508–1588)
• Hélène Dorion (1958)
• Christian Dotremont (1922–1979)
• Minou Drouet (1947)
• Caroline Dubois (1960)
• Bernard Dubourg (1945–1992)
• Georges Duhamel (1884–1966)
• Jacques Dupin (1927–2012)
• Jean-Pierre Duprey (1930–1959)
• Marie Dauguet (1860–1942)

E

• Paul Éluard (1895–1952)
• Claude Esteban (1935–2006)

F

• Nabile Farès (1940–2016)
• Léon-Paul Fargue (1876–1947)
• Jean-Pierre Faye (1925)
• Léo Ferré (1916–1993)
• Jean Follain (1903–1971)
• Xavier Forneret (1809–1884)
• Paul Fort (1872–1960)
• Marie de France (1154–1189)
• Martin Le Franc (1410–1461)
• Frankétienne (1936–2025)
• Pauline Fréchette (1889–1943)
• André Frédérique (1915–1957)
• Jean Froissart (v.1337-v.1410)

G

• Pierre Gabriel (1926–1994)
• Serge Gainsbourg (1928–1991)
• Augièr Galhard (16th-century)
• Pierre Gamarra (1919–2009)
• Joachim Gasquet (1873–1921)
• Armand Gatti (1924–2017)
• Théophile Gautier (1811–1872)
• Jean Genet (1910–1986)
• Amélie Gex (1835–1883)
• Henri Ghéon (1875–1644)
• Roger Gilbert-Lecomte (1907–1943)
• Iwan Gilkin (1858–1924)
• Roger Giroux (1925–1974)
• Jean-Marie Gleize (1946)
• Edouard Glissant (1928–2011)
• Guy Goffette (1947–2024)
• Claire Goll (1890–1977)
• Yvan Goll (1891–1950)
• Jean Ogier de Gombauld (1576–1666)
• Remy de Gourmont (1858–1915)
• Xavier Grall (1930–1981)
• Benoît Gréan
• Jean-Baptiste-Louis Gresset (1709–1777)
• Jacques Grévin (1538–1570)
• Jean Grosjean (1912–2006)
• Maurice de Guérin (1810–1839)
• Georges Guillain (1876–1961)
• Guillaume de Lorris (c.1200 – c.1238)
• Pernette du Guillet (1520–1545)
• Eugène Guillevic (1907–1997)

H

• Adam de la Halle (1237–1288)
• Anne Hébert (1916–2000)
• Markus Hediger (1959)
• Bernard Heidsieck (1928–2014)
• Georges Henein (1914–1973)
• José-Maria de Heredia (1842–1905)
• Antoine Héroet (d. 1567)
• Emmanuel Hocquard (1940-2019)
• Michel Houellebecq (1958)
• Victor Hugo (1802–1885)
• Marie Huot (1965)

I

• Jacques Izoard (1936–2008)

J

• Edmond Jabès (1912–1991)
• Philippe Jaccottet (1925–2021)
• Max Jacob (1876–1944)
• Francis Jammes (1868–1938)
• Amadis Jamyn (1538–1592)
• Alfred Jarry (1873–1907)
• Sandra Jayat (1930–2025)
• Georges Jean (1920–2011)
• Jean de Meung (1250 – c.1305)
• Étienne Jodelle (1532–1573)
• Jean Joubert (1928–2015)
• Jacques Jouet (1947)
• Alain Jouffroy (1928–2015)
• Pierre Jean Jouve (1887–1976)
• Charles Juliet (1934–2024)

K

• Gustave Kahn (1859–1936)
• Kama Sywor Kamanda (1952)
• Abdelkebir Khatibi (1938–2009)
• Vénus Khoury-Ghata (1937)
• Tristan Klingsor (1874–1966)
• Anise Koltz (1928–2023)
• Petr Kral (1941–2020)
• Seyhan Kurt (1971)

L

• Abdellatif Laâbi (1942)
• Louise Labé (1524–1566)
• Pierre Labrie (1972)
• Jacques Lacarrière (1925–2005)
• Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695)
• Jules Laforgue (1860–1887)
• Jean Lahor (1840–1909)
• Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1869)
• Bernard de La Monnoye (1641–1728)
• Jane de La Vaudère (1857–1908)
• Valery Larbaud (1881–1957)
• Josaphat-Robert Large (1942–2017)
• Rina Lasnier (1910–1997)
• Isidore Ducasse, comte de Lautréamont (1846–1870)
• Pierre-Antoine Lebrun (1785–1873)
• Félix Leclerc (1914–1988)
• Leconte de Lisle (1818–1894)
• Michel Leiris (1901–1990)
• Jean Lemaire de Belges (1473–1520)
• Charles Le Quintrec (1926–2008)
• Jean-François Leriget de La Faye (1674–1731)
• Alain Le Roux (c. 1040 – 1093)
• Hervé Le Tellier (1957)
• Henry Jean-Marie Levet (1874–1906)
• Tristan L'Hermite (1601–1655)
• Guillaume de Lorris (1200–1240)
• Pierre Louÿs (1870–1925)
• Mary Stanley Low (1912–2007)
• Ghérasim Luca (1913–1994)
• Jean-Pierre Luminet (1951)

M

• Guillaume de Machaut (1300–1377)
• Maurice Maeterlinck (1862–1949)
• François de Malherbe (1555–1628)
• Stéphane Mallarmé (1842–1898)
• Pierre de Marbeuf (1595–1645)
• Clément Marot (1495–1544)
• Jean Marot (1450–1526)
• Anne de Marquets (1533–1588)
• Fabien Marsaud (born 1977)
• Charles Maurras (1868–1952)
• Catulle Mendès (1841–1909)
• Élisa Mercœur (1809–1835)
• Thierry Metz (1956–1997)
• Jean de Meun (1240–1304)
• Henri Michaux (1899–1984)
• Jean Michel (c. 1435–1501)
• Jean Moréas (1856–1910)
• Hégésippe Moreau (1810–1838)
• Camille de Morel
• Colin Muset
• Alfred de Musset (1810–1857)

N

• Marguerite de Navarre (1492–1549)
• Émile Nelligan (1879–1941)
• Gérard de Nerval (1808–1855)

O

• René de Obaldia (1918–2022)
• Charles, duc d'Orléans (1394–1465)

P

• Évariste de Parny (1753–1814)
• Charles Péguy (1873–1914)
• Benjamin Péret (1899–1959)
• Louis Pergaud (1882–1915)
• Saint-John Perse (1887–1975)
• Christine de Pizan (1364–c. 1430)
• Francis Ponge (1899–1988)
• Jacques Prévert (1900–1977)
• Guiot de Provins
• Sully Prudhomme (1839–1907)

Q

• Raymond Queneau (1903–1976)

R

• Nicolas Rapin (1535–1608)
• Henri de Régnier (1864–1936)
• Pierre Reverdy (1889–1960)
• Arthur Rimbaud (1854–1891)
• Jules Romains (1885–1972)
• Pierre de Ronsard (1524–1585)
• Claude Royet-Journoud (1941)
• Jaufré Rudel (1113–1170)
• Rutebeuf (1245–1285)

S

• Janou Saint-Denis (1930–2000)
• Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912–1943)
• Mellin de Saint-Gelais (1491–1558)
• Jean François de Saint-Lambert (1716–1803)
• Benoît de Sainte-Maure
• André Salmon (1881–1969)
• Albert Samain (1858–1900)
• Henriette Sauret (1890–1976)
• Paul Scarron (1610–1660)
• Maurice Scève (1501–1564)
• Georges Schehadé (1907–1989)
• Pierre Seghers (1906–1987)
• Léopold Senghor (1906–2001)
• Louisa Siefert (1845–1877)^[3]
• Dominique Sorrente (born 1953)
• Gabrielle Soumet (1814–1886)
• Philippe Soupault (1897–1990)
• André Spire (1868–1966)
• Jules Supervielle (1884–1960)

T

• Taillefer (1001–1066)
• Jean de La Taille (1535–1608)
• Jean Tardieu (1903–1995)
• Esther Tellermann (1947)
• Thomas of Britain
• Khal Torabully (born 1956)
• Julien Torma (1902–1933)
• Paul-Jean Toulet (1867–1920)
• Roland Michel Tremblay (born 1972)
• Chrétien de Troyes
• Doete de Troyes (1220-1265)
• Pontus de Tyard (1521–1605)
• Tristan Tzara (1896–1963)

V

• Paul Valéry (1871–1945)
• Jean-Pierre Vallotton (born 1955)
• Léonise Valois (1868–1936)^[4]
• Jean Venturini (1919–1940)
• Serge Venturini (born 1955)
• Emile Verhaeren (1855–1916)
• Paul Verlaine (1844–1896)
• Francis Viélé-Griffin (1864–1937)
• Boris Vian (1920–1959)
• Claude Vigée (1921–2020)
• Alfred de Vigny (1797–1863)
• François Villon (1431–1463)
• Roger Vitrac (1899–1952)
• Vincent Voiture (1597–1648)
• Voltaire (1694–1778)

See also

• Other French poets in the French Wikipedia
• French literature
• Francophone literature
• List of French-language authors
• List of French novelists
• List of French people
• Lists of Canadians