10 Richest French People

Do you know who are the richest French people?

The wealthiest individuals have an excessive amount of influence over the political systems, economic systems, and the distribution of charitable gifts on a scale that extends across the globe.

The wealthiest people in France are diverse, ranging from billionaires who made their money in the fashion industry to business owners who amassed wealth from cheese and other dairy products.    

Many people believe that becoming wealthy is nothing more than an aspect of getting lucky. Success depends, unquestionably, in part on mere luck.

There is no doubting the role of chance, whether being born to a wealthy family or developing a groundbreaking idea at just the right time. Luck, though, isn’t everything you need to succeed. If a person lacks moral principles, they can easily waste their wealth.  

It is well known that the French have a long and eventful history, which was built by their ancestors before them. They are known for providing residents with a high quality of life, which has contributed to their positive reputation.

They show this by putting their money into projects that benefit their nation, such as expanding educational opportunities and building new infrastructure. This demonstrates that they value their country highly.   

Many people in France have been successful in business and have amassed significant wealth. They have made a fortune thanks to their investments, though some have become billionaires and others have not.

Listed below are the top 6 richest billionaires in France.

10 Richest French People

1. Bernard Arnault

Bernard Arnault spent his childhood in the city of Roubaix, in northern France. After graduating with a degree in engineering from the École Polytechnique, the most prestigious university of its kind in France, Arnault worked as an engineer and managed the Ferret-Savinel construction and real estate business owned by his family.     

Arnault took over Christian Dior and the Le Bon Marche department store in 1984 after purchasing a failed organization encompassing both. Following his purchase, he now owned both companies. This was his first foray into the realm of high-end retailing.

Louis Vuitton and Moet Hennessy, two independent firms, merged in 1987 to form LVMH, an abbreviation for their full names. Shortly after that, in 1989, he led a hostile takeover of the corporation and gained control of the business. He has been fully competent in taking on the responsibilities of this role since the day he was promoted to it.

With an estimated average net worth of over $187 billion and a continuing reign in the sector of luxury fashion companies, Bernard Arnault is considered to be the wealthiest person to have lived in France.

2. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers

France’s wealthiest native daughter is Francoise Bettencourt Meyers. She is a rich French heiress, businesswoman, philanthropist, pianist, and writer who has authored works on Jewish-Christian ties as well as interpretations of the Bible.

Her family owns the business L’Oréal, and she is the only child of Liliane Bettencourt, making her the successor according to the laws of France.

Bettencourt Meyers now runs the family business. Bettencourt Meyers became the successor to her mother’s estate after her mother passed away, and the estate was named in her mother’s honor.

It is now believed that her total net worth is $75.3 billion, which places her in the position of being the wealthiest woman to have ever originated from France.

She is a strong supporter of the emancipation of women and the strength of women in general, which makes her a brilliant advocate.

3. François Henri Pinault

Francois Henri Pinault was born in Les Champs-Geraux, in the Brittany area northwest of France. He went to high school in the city of Rennes until he was 16, when he dropped out because he was upset with classmates who, according to him, made fun of his rustic accent.

He is the founder of the company known as Kering, which is responsible for managing the growth of a few well-known houses in the fashion, leather goods, and jewelry industries.

The company, which has its office in Paris, reported revenue of €17.6 billion or $19.1 billion in 2021, thanks to the success of brands like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.

In addition to having a personal art collection of over 2,000 pieces, the billionaire is also Christie’s auction house owner.

Kering’s vision of modern, authentic, and responsible luxury is at the core of its success and its aspiration to become the most influential luxury group in the world in terms of creativity, sustainability, and long-term economic performance. François Henri Pinault is the primary motivation behind Kering’s vision.

4 – 5. Alain and Gerard Wertheimer

Alain Wertheimer and his brother Gerard Wertheimer, currently in their 70s, are two of the ten richest billionaires in France.

Chanel is just one of many companies that have contributed to the growth and multiplication of their wealth. This expansion and accumulation of their wealth have been made possible as a direct result of massive mergers and economic initiatives that have taken place.

Both brothers have an equal share of the total worth of their assets, which comes to 49.2 billion dollars now and has been split evenly between them.

The Wertheimer family is known for maintaining a high level of discretion. Family members practically never grant interviews to the press to discuss topics such as their wealth, businesses, families, personal relationships, or even their hobbies.

They don’t even bother to show up for the grand opening of a new Chanel store. If they go to one of the brand’s illustrious fashion shows, they drive themselves and take seats in the fourth or fifth row.

The New York Times referred to them as “the most mysterious millionaires in the world of fashion.”

Currently, the Wertheimer brothers own the Chanel brand and several well-known vineyards all over Europe. These vineyards include those in Bordeaux, the Napa Valley, and Domaine de l’Île on the island of Porquerolles, close to the most southwestern point of the Côte d’Azur in France.

6. Emmanuel Besnier

Emmanuel Besnier is one of the wealthiest people in France. Lactalis, a French dairy company that produces cheese and other dairy products, was the source of his wealth. Besnier received his education at the University of Poitiers.

In 1979, Besnier started as an engineer with Lactalis, but he rose through the ranks quickly. He was eventually elected president of the firm in 1994.

His grandfather, Gaston Besnier, who began manufacturing cheese in 1895, was the one who initially established the firm. Emmanuel became a minority shareholder in the company after Nestlé acquired Lactalis for an estimated price of $11.5 billion in 2008.

Besnier currently holds over 40% of the company’s shares, making him the second largest shareholder behind Nestlé CEO Paul Bulcke, who has 44% of the company’s shares. He also owns a hotel network in France, which includes several notable establishments, including the Hotel de Crillon and the Hôtel de Sully.

Emmanuel Besnier is involved in the venture capital industry and invested in companies such as Vivendi, Dailymotion, and Canal+. He is also a co-founder of France Télévisions. In addition to this, he established La Société Générale Banque, which went on to become one of the most prosperous financial institutions in all of Europe. He founded the Société Générale de Banque as well.

According to Forbes magazine, Besnier is estimated to have a net worth of $19 billion.

7. Nicolas Puech

Nicolas Puech is one of the wealthiest people in France and a descendant of Thierry Hermès, the founder of one of the most well-known French fashion houses. Puech is the son of Francis Puech and Yvonne Hermès.

Although he left his position on the Hermès supervisory board in August 2014, Puech continues to possess approximately 5% of the company. Other members of his family collectively own the majority interest.

Puech is one of the wealthiest persons in France, with a net worth of 9 billion dollars. 

8. Xavier Niel

Xavier Niel, a French tech billionaire, was born on 25 August 1967 in Creteil, France, to parents who were both working professionals. Niel’s father studied law and medicine, and his mother worked as an accountant to support the family. 

After dropping out of high school at the age of 16, Niel launched his professional life by developing chat services for Minitel, a French company that existed before the World Wide Web.

Xavier Niel is commonly referred to as the “forgotten billionaire.” This monicker has been bestowed upon him on numerous occasions. Despite the enormous fortune and success that he has achieved, for the most part, he has kept a low profile and avoided the attention of the public. 

He earned his fortune on his own through business ventures in the technology sector, which allowed him to become a self-made billionaire. It is now estimated that he has a net worth of 8.5 billion dollars.

9. Laurent Dassault

Laurent Dassault is a French industrialist and businessman who amassed a significant fortune because of his ventures in the aviation and media industries. The accomplishments he has attained have garnered him the adoration of many people, and the way he has lived his life is an example to businesspeople and dreamers alike. 

Dassault is a French businessperson who has served as the head of 17 different organizations throughout his career. 

Laurent Dassault is the eldest son of Serge Dassault. He was born on July 7, 1953, and he has a net worth of 7.5 billion dollars at the present time. 

Dassault is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Dassault Group, in addition to having a well-deserved reputation as an avid art collector. 

He is also the proprietor of a wine manufacturing business that is located on the family estate of Chateau Dassault.

10. Alain Merieux

One of the most famous self-made billionaires in history, Alain Merieux, was an extraordinary man. His upbringing on a farm in rural France made for a rocky start to his career. He overcame several challenges on his way to becoming a billionaire and a major business figure.

Forbes reports that Alain Merieux’s net worth is 6.6 billion dollars. 

Since 1974, when he became the company’s major stakeholder, Alain Merieux has presided over BD Mérieux, one of the world’s foremost laboratories for diagnostics (now known as bioMérieux). 

Alain is the grandson of Marcel Mérieux, a pupil of the great Louis Pasteur. In a facility he established in Lyon, Marcel Mérieux created the first tetanus sera.