25 Best French Novels That You Must Read

Are you looking for the best French novels to read? 

Books are a fantastic way for Francophiles all around the world to stay connected with France. France has enjoyed an illustrious reputation in European intellectual culture for many years, and its literature is no exception.

French authors have created works that are known throughout the world, have pioneered and recreated genres, and have tackled topics ranging from marriage to revolution to identity.

Readers learning French and looking for a peek into century French society can always turn to some of the French novels on this list.

25 Best French Novels That You Must Read

Here are the top French novels to read, which include works by Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, and Gustav Flaubert, as well as critically acclaimed newcomers.

1. Le Rouge et le Noir / The Red and the Black by Stendhal (1830)

Genre/s: Psychological Fiction 

In his books, Stendhal discusses a variety of societal themes, including politics, the church, French rural life, the position of women, and socioeconomic class.

Julien Sorel, a young man from low beginnings seeking to rise above his surroundings, is the protagonist of The Red and the Black.

He has lofty ambitions and quickly realizes that the only way to rise in society is to adopt the materialistic aristocracy’s duplicity. However, in his attempt to become significant, he ends up as a pawn of the powerful men in his circle. 

This scathing portrait of French society has been hailed as a novel ahead of its time for its real concern for women.

2. Le Comte de Monte-Cristo / The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1846)

Genre/s: Historical Fiction, Adventure 

One of the most well-known French novels of all time is “Le Comte de Monte-Cristo“. The book follows the very fortunate life of central character Edmond Dantès, from his successes to his subsequent fall from grace.

Dantès is the envy of everyone around him. He had a good job, he was popular and had a beautiful fiancée. But then, three men conspired against him and falsely accused him of treason.

“Le Comte de Monte-Cristo” is an illuminating look into 19th-century French philosophy and thinking, revealing what 19th-century writers thought about themselves.

It is written in older, more formal French and has an interesting focus on human nature.

READ MORE: Facts About Alexandre Dumas

3. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (1856)

Genre/s: literary realism

Madame Bovary was Gustave Flaubert’s first novel, published in the 1850s. Madame Bovary, the main character, is a lady who always wants more – she’s read too many French romance novels and has a romanticized view of her life and marriage.

She’s always aiming for greater social status, great love gestures, beautiful possessions, and other things. She expects that her marriage to Charles Bovary will provide her with this, but he disappoints her, and her life suffers as a result.

This is one of the best French books, and anyone interested in learning more about French literature and 19th-century French society should read it.

4. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo (1862)

Genre/s: Historical Fiction. Romance. Tragedy. 

Les Misérables is based on early nineteenth-century French historical events.

The novel follows characters as they go about their daily lives, giving readers a better knowledge of French culture at the time as well as the details of the 1832 Paris Uprising.

While “Les Misérables” is one of the longer French books available, it is worth reading for its educational look into some significant events in French history, as well as for gaining insight into the action on the ground.

Although the novel is not exactly based on facts, it humanizes historical events and depicts what those events would have been like for real individuals.

5. À la recherche du temps perdu / In Search of Lost Time  by Marcel Proust (1913)

Genre/s: Philosophical fiction,  Fictional Autobiography

“In Search of Lost Time” is a well-known work of French literature, dubbed “the most revered novel of the twentieth century” by the New York Review of Books.

This seven-volume novel on the passage of time and the concept of memory is written by Marcel Proust. It opens with the narrator biting into a madeleine and being immediately reminded of his idyllic upbringing.

The novel spans multiple volumes and explores themes such as romance, corruption, war, human foolishness, and, most importantly, the search for truth as time passes.

“Remembrance of Things Past” is another title used for the English translation of this book.

6. L’Élégance du Hérisson / The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (2006)

Genre/s: Literary Fiction. Philosophical Fiction. 

This novel, published in 2006, chronicles the life of Renée Michel, a Parisian concierge (akin to a superintendent).

L’Élégance du Hérisson explores Renée’s existence through the structure of a Parisian apartment building and the implied juxtaposition of the private and public spaces.

The viewpoint of a bright upper-class inhabitant of the building, a young girl named Paloma Josse, was frequently employed throughout the novel.

7. La Mécanique du Coeur by Mathias Malzieu (2009)

Genre/s: Romance. Fantasy. 

The lead singer of the French rock band Dionysos, who also released a concept album based on the novel, is the author of this modern Gothic romance.

The story follows the life of Little Jack, who was born on Edinburgh’s coldest day ever. His heart freezes solid due to the frigid weather, necessitating a replacement, which is fashioned from a cuckoo clock by local witch doctor Madeleine.

Madeleine adopts Little Jack, seeking to protect him and his vulnerable heart from the dangers of fury and love.

Despite this, Little Jack falls in love with a young singer and travels across Europe pursuing her.

8. La délicatesse / Delicatesse / Delicacy by David Foenkinos (2011)

Genre/s: Romance. Comedy. Drama.

La délicatesse is about Natalie, who, after the death of her spouse, closes herself off to any potential attachment. It is only when she meets a man who represents the polar opposite of her previous love that she can feel something again.

The novel was so well received in France that it was nominated for numerous literary honors, became a bestseller, and was adapted into a film starring Audrey Tautou.

La délicatesse is written in the style of a mystery, and as a reader, you have about as much information about the heroine as the men that surround her. It’s like peeling away layers of the plot as you turn every page, which adds to the reasons why it is a must-read. 

9. Soumission / Submission by Michel Houellebecq (2015)

Genre/s: Dystopian. Satire / Commentary.

Soumission was released on the same day as the terrorist attacks on Charlie Hebdo in Paris, and it became an instant hit.

In this dystopian tale, a Muslim president is elected in France.

It’s French political humor at its finest, as well as analysis, and criticism.

While its obvious lack of political correctness is bound to make some people uncomfortable, it’s a fascinating look at the current political environment in France.

10. D’apres une histoire vraie / Based on a True Story by Delphine De Vigan (2015)

Genre/s: Psychological Thriller

The narrative of a writer suffering from tiredness and writer’s block is told in “D’Après Une Histoire Vraie.” The heroine Delphine, fatigued and unable to write after the tremendous popularity of her previous novel, encounters L.

It embodies everything Delphine admires: sophisticated and unusually intuitive. She then carves out a niche in the writer’s life slowly but deliberately.

The intensity of this unexpected bond reveals itself in progressively ominous ways as she becomes necessary to Delphine. L begins to threaten Delphine’s identity and safety as their lives become more intertwined.

This is a fascinating read: a book about friendship, writing, and the line between fact and fantasy that is dark, witty, odd, and intriguing.

11. The Lover

Author: Marguerite Duras

Year Published: 1984

L’Amant (The Lover) was written by Marguerite Duras in 1984. The novel has been translated into 43 languages and received the 1984 Prix Goncourt. It was adapted into a movie in 1992 of the same title. The movie adaptation starred Jane March and Tony Leung Ka-Fai. The Lover revolves around the intricacies and intimacies of a clandestine romance between a girl from a financially strapped French family and an older wealthy Chinese Vietnamese man. The novel is actually the real-life story of Marguerite Duras herself. She published The Lover when she was 70 years old, 55 years after meeting Leo, the Chinese Vietnamese man. It is often compared to Nobokov’s Lolita.

12. Candide

Author:  Voltaire

Year Published:  1759

Candide was written by one of the most influential French writers and philosophers Voltaire, It is often described as the adult version of The Little Prince. In Candide, Voltaire uses a traveler as his protagonist to compare two different worlds and allow “innocent” questions about unfamiliar ideas. This novel has been widely translated into English. Candide is about a young man living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise indoctrinated with Lebinizian optimism by Professor Pangloss, his mentor. The novel is regarded as Voltaire’s magnum opus and is often considered part of the Western canon. It has been listed as one of the 100 most influential books ever written.

13. The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Author: Victor Hugo

Year Published: 1831

Set in Medieval Paris, The Hunchback of Notre Dame revolves around the character of a hunchback named Quasimodo, an oppressed and oppressive priest Frollo, and a free-spirited and seductive woman named Esmeralda. This popular classic novel actually aims to make its readers appreciate the Notre Dame Cathedral. Victor Hugo focused on the Gothic architecture that the church is known for. The novel has been adapted for the big screen several times already– the most notable was the one released in 1939 directed by William Dieterle.

Although some of the adaptations diverted from the novel.  

14. The Stranger

Author: Albert Camus

Year Published: 1942

This novel by Albert Camus is a staple of the French curriculum in schools. It is one of the best French novels in English-speaking countries. The Stranger has received critical acclaim for its philosophical outlook, absurdism, syntactic structure, and existentialism.  In a poll by Paris newspaper Le Monde, The Stranger emerged as number one in its 100 Books of the 20th Century. Set in 20th-century Algeria, The Stranger tells the story of Mersault, an indifferent settler in French Algeria. The book was adapted for the film via the movie Lo Strainero (Italian) in 1967 and Yazgi (Turkish) in 2001.  It was also the subject of The Cure’s debut single “Killing an Arab” in 1979.

15. Au Bonheur Des Dames (The Ladies Delight)

Author: Emile Zola

Year Published: 1883

Au Bonheur Des Dames is the eleventh novel in the Rougon-Macquart series of Emile Zola. It first came out in serialized form from 1882 to 1883 and as a novel in 1883. Au Bonheur Des Dames follows Denise Baudu, a 20-year-old woman from Valognes who comes to Paris with her younger brothers to work as a saleswoman at the department store Au Bonheur des Dames. In the novel, Zola describes the inner workings of the store from the employees’ perspective, the substandard food, and the bare lodgings for female employees. It also focuses on the budding romance between Octave Mouret, the owner of the department store, and Denise,

16.  The Second Sex

Author: Simone de Beauvoir

Year Published:   1949

The Second Sex is one of Simone de Beauvoir’s most popular and controversial books, It is so controversial that it was banned by the Vatican. The Second Sex revolves around the treatment of women in current society as well as throughout history. The novel is considered groundbreaking work for feminist philosophy.  Many consider it the Bible of modern Western feminism. Written in two volumes, The Second Sex dissects women’s place in history in the home, literature, and others in places like Ancient Greece and Rome. While some of the parts are quite abstract, other parts were a result of the author’s research into science, biology, and the female body.

17. Pere Goriot

Author: Honore de Balzac

Year Published: 1835

Pere Goriot is considered Honore de Balzac’s most important novel. Pere Goriot is an example of the realist style of writing, that is using minute details to create characters and subtext. The novel revolves around three characters namely Goriot, Vautrin, and Rastignac. The setting of the novel is in Paris during the Bourbon Restoration. The story happens in 1819, four years after the downfall of Napoleon. One of the themes in the novel is social stratification.  Throughout his characters and narration, Balzac lays bare the social Darwinism that is taking place in today;s society.

18. La Gloire De Mon Pere (My Father’s Glory)

Author: Marcel Pagnol

Year Published:  1957

La Gloire de Mon Pere is the first of four volumes in Pagnol’s Souvenirs D’Enfrance series and the sequel to My Mother’s Castle. The novel is Pagnol’s autobiography from his early years to his travels in and around Marseilles. He opens up with the stories about his parents, Joseph and Augustine. The novel is described by many as the advent of the prose writing style. It tells the story of his family’s relocation from the little town of Aubagne to the bustling city of Marseilles. The novel was adapted into a film released in 1990 starring Philippe Caubere, Nathalie Roussel, Therese Liotard, and Julien Camaca. The film was directed by Yves Robert who also wrote the script alongside Louis Nucera and Jerome Tonnerre.

19. Dangerous Liaisons

Author: Choderos de Laclos

Year Published:  1782

Dangerous Liaisons is a novel that revolves around betrayal, corruption, and depravity within the French nobility. The book is about the story of Marquise de Meteuil and Vicomte de Valmont, lovers who became rivals who find pleasure in ruining others and ended up destroying each other. It depicts the corruption among the French nobles before the French Revolution. It served as the inspiration for the 1988 awarding-winning movie of the same title which stars John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Keanu Reeves, and Uma Thurman. It was also the inspiration behind the movie Cruel Intentions, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Philippe, Selma Blair, and Reese Witherspoon, Although the book did not win any awards, the film adaptations did.

20. Central Park

Author: Guillaume Masso

Year Published: 2014

Known for writing thrillers with a touch of the supernatural, Guillaume Masso gives us a sample of his writing in Central Park. Currently, the top-selling French writer today, Masso tells the story of Alce and Gabriel who wakes up on a Central Park bench handcuffed to each other. The two come from different countries in Europe and neither of them do not know how they got there. Central Park As the two try to figure out why they were in their previous predicament, Alice and Gabriel scour around New York for answers until they found some clues that point to a previous adversary from the past.

21. The Misanthrope

Author: Moliere

Year Published:  1666

The Misanthrope is one of Moliere’s most celebrated plays. It is a satiric comedy consisting of five acts. It revolves around the French aristocracy and pokes fun at some flaws of humankind. Le Misanthrope tells the story of Alceste, a 17th-century gentleman who is intolerant of the flatteries and hypocrisies of society, and Celimene, who has shown cruelty to many of her suitors, except Alceste. When Alceste asked Celimene to marry her, she agreed but Alceste had one condition– that they live a simple and quiet life away from society, something which Celimene cannot do. Moliere uses the play to criticize the rampant problems in society at that time but criticizes him as well.

22. In Search of Lost Time

Author:  Marcel Proust

Year Published:  1913 – 1927

This novel by Marcel Proust is the author’s autobiography written in seven parts.  It is one of the most famous French books and the New York Review of Books calls it “the most respected novel of the 20th century.” It follows the narrator’s recollection of childhood and experiences into adulthood during the late 19th and early 20th century France. The first part of his novel was refused on several occasions but was finally issued at Proust’s expense. Initially, he planned to only have three volumes, However, after several revisions and enrichment of text, his novel tripled in length. In 1919, two more volumes were published.

23. The Immoralist

Author: Andre Gide

Year Published: 1902

The Immoralist is actually an autobiography of the author himself. At first, no one will notice it because of the way Gide disguised it by using the first-person short story as a distraction from the connection to his own life. He also used the style in discussing the moral ambiguities of life. The story revolves around Michel, who finds himself caught up in a complex network of overlapping relations and responsibilities. At a very young age, Michel lost both his parents– his mother when he was 15 and his father when he was 25. The story tells how Michel incurred tuberculosis and how he successfully recovered from it. The Immoralist also depicted the complex relations between the residents of colonial France and French Algeria.

24. Indiana

Author: George Sand

Year Published:  1832

Indiana was the first novel that Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin wrote using the pseudonym George Sand. The book delved around many themes that were prominent during that time such as the longing for romance, adultery, class struggle, and the French empire, to name just a few. In Indiana, George Sand combines some elements of romanticism, realism, and idealism. Indiana is the name of the story’s heroine. She traces her roots to French colonial settlers from Ile Bourbon (present-day Reunion). Throughout the novel, Sand depicts the class struggle and social codes that impacted French women of that time, Indiana wanted to leave Colonel Delmare, her husband who is an ex-army officer, but she cannot because she is not protected by law.

25. Les Contes des Fees (Fairy Tales)

Author: Madame d’Aulnoy

Year Published:  1697 – 1698

Written in four volumes, this work by Madame d’Aulnoy is considered “lost” or “untraceable.” Recent editions of the novel were just based on 18th-century editions as even a single copy of any of the four volumes could not be located. However, one complete copy of the book did actually survive in private hands. It first appeared in 1737 and again in 1979. Also, a similarly complete set of Fairy Tales is preserved in Wiiirtembergische, a public library in Stuttgart, Germany. Madame d’Aulnoy is credited for coining the term “fairy tale.” Some of her tales include the original “Beauty and the Beast,” which involves the story as we know it today. Her tales are easy to understand and read, fun, and imaginative.

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