47.2172° N, 1.5539° W

NANTES

Most Famous People Born in Nantes, France

Notable people
1,043
Peak decade
1970s
Median birth year
1910
Most distinctive
Architect 4.4×

Jules Verne grew up watching the Loire shipyards that would populate every one of his adventure novels with captains and engineers, and the architect over-index at 4.4× keeps that maker tradition alive five generations later. A newer wave — Christine and the Queens, Madeon — has been exporting French pop from the same port the slave trade once made rich.

Through the Centuries

One face per century — the most globally famous figure born in Nantes during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1970s with 103 notable births.

What Nantes Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Nantes's biggest profession — 16% of all notables (169).

Nantes over-indexes on architect4.4× the global rate.

Nantes under-produces football — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Politician169
  2. Painter65
  3. Writer49
  4. Actor48
  5. Football47
  6. Architect41
  7. Journalist34
  8. Priest26
  1. Architect414.4×
  2. Rower133.4×
  3. Sculptor172.5×
  4. Painter652.4×
  5. Artist232.1×
  6. Physician152.1×
  7. Journalist342.1×
  8. Historian211.9×
  1. Football470.4×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Nantes's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

1550160016501700175018001850190019502000
  • Politics & Law
  • Art & Design
  • Writing
  • Sports
  • Science
  • Film & TV
  • Other
All1,043
Sort By

1,043 notable people

0001 NOVELIST

Jules Verne

1828 - 1905

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0002 POLITICIAN

Aristide Briand

1862 - 1932

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0003 QUEEN

Anne of Brittany

1477 - 1514

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0004 PAINTER

James Tissot

1836 - 1902

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0005 PAINTER

Jean Metzinger

1883 - 1956

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0006 SINGER

Christine and the Queens

Born 1988

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0007 PRODUCER

Madeon

Born 1994

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0008 ARTIST

Claude Cahun

1894 - 1954

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0009 ARISTOCRAT

Arthur I, Duke of Brittany

1187 - 1203

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0010 POLITICIAN

Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau

1846 - 1904

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0011 NAVY

Éric Tabarly

1931 - 1998

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0012 MONARCH

Charles III of Navarre

1361 - 1425

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0013 FOOTBALL

Jérémy Toulalan

Born 1983

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0014 ARTIST

Claire Bretécher

1940 - 2020

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0015 OFFICER

Pierre Cambronne

1770 - 1842

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0016 RUNNER

Pierre-Ambroise Bosse

Born 1992

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0017 ACTOR

Linda Hardy

Born 1973

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0018 POLITICIAN

François de Rugy

Born 1973

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0019 SCREENWRITER

Marc Caro

Born 1956

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0020 FOOTBALL

Ulrich Ramé

Born 1972

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0021 PAINTER

Jules Dupré

1811 - 1889

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0022 ACTOR

Julien Boisselier

Born 1970

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0023 SINGER

Jeanne Cherhal

Born 1978

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0024 HISTORIAN

Jean Delumeau

1923 - 2020

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0025 PAINTER

Paul Émile Chabas

1869 - 1937

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0026 JOURNALIST

Edwy Plenel

Born 1952

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0027 CHOREOGRAPHER

George Barbier (illustrator)

1882 - 1932

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0028 ARCHITECT

Germain Boffrand

1667 - 1754

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0029 FILM

Denys de La Patellière

1921 - 2013

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0030 PRIEST

Amandus

575 - 676

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0031 ATHLETIC

Floria Gueï

Born 1990

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0032 ARTIST

Blek le Rat

Born 1951

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0033 WRITER

Gabrielle Wittkop

1920 - 2002

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0034 PAINTER

Auguste Toulmouche

1829 - 1890

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0035 POLITICIAN

Jules-Albert de Dion

1856 - 1946

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0036 PAINTER

Maxime Maufra

1861 - 1918

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0037 POLITICIAN

Christophe Léon Louis Juchault de Lamoricière

1806 - 1865

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0038 PAINTER

Jules-Élie Delaunay

1828 - 1891

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0039 COMPOSER

Joachim Garraud

Born 1968

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0040 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Clémence Royer

1830 - 1902

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0041 PAINTER

Évariste Vital Luminais

1821 - 1896

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0042 SAILOR

Loïck Peyron

Born 1959

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0043 ACTOR

Claude Perron

Born 1966

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0044 ARTIST

Jean Graton

Born 1923

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0045 DIPLOMAT

Ricardo Wall

1694 - 1777

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0046 POLITICIAN

Jean-Claude Boulard

1943 - 2018

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0047 POLITICIAN

Lionel Stoléru

1937 - 2016

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0048 FOOTBALL

Emerse Faé

Born 1984

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0049 ACTOR

Gabrielle Bossis

1874 - 1950

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0050 ACTOR

Jacques Legras

1923 - 2006

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0051 WRITER

François de la Noue

1531 - 1591

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0052 ACTOR

Jean Brochard

1893 - 1972

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0053 PAINTER

Jef Aérosol

Born 1957

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0054 FOOTBALL

Grégory Tadé

Born 1986

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0055 SPORT

Anthony Charteau

Born 1979

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0056 COMPOSER

Paul Ladmirault

1877 - 1944

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0057 BEAUTY PAGEANT

Sylvie Tellier

Born 1978

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0058 MOTHER OF

Sophie Trébuchet

1772 - 1821

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0059 NATURALIST

Frédéric Cailliaud

1787 - 1869

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0060 MILITAR

Jacques Cassard

1679 - 1740

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0061 WRITER

Pierre Boaistuau

1517 - 1566

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0062 ACTOR

Benoît Régent

1953 - 1994

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0063 JOURNALIST

Morvan Lebesque

1911 - 1970

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0064 MATHEMATICIAN

Luc Illusie

Born 1940

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0065 ARCHITECT

Charles Errard

1606 - 1689

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0066 LAWYER

Marcel Planiol

1853 - 1931

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0067 PRIEST

Mary of the Passion

1839 - 1904

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0068 CONDUCTOR

Louis-Albert Bourgault-Ducoudray

1840 - 1910

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0069 MUSIC

David Grellier

Born 1979

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0070 BASKET

Boris Dallo

Born 1994

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0071 PRIEST

François-Marie-Benjamin Richard

1819 - 1908

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0072 POLITICIAN

Jean-Christophe Fromantin

Born 1962

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0073 PAINTER

Edgar Maxence

1871 - 1954

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0074 POLITICIAN

Peter Ochs

1752 - 1821

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0075 JOURNALIST

Claude Sérillon

Born 1950

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0076 ORGANIST

François Benoist

1794 - 1878

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0077 FOOTBALL

Laurent Batlles

Born 1975

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0078 PHYSICIAN

Édouard Chassaignac

1804 - 1879

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0079 PAINTER

Raymond Sabouraud

1864 - 1938

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0080 PAINTER

Pierre Roy (painter)

1880 - 1950

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0081 PHYSICIAN

Édouard Bureau

1830 - 1918

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0082 SKATER

Sarah Abitbol

Born 1975

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0083 MILITAR

George Henri Anne-Marie Victor de Villebois-Mareuil

1847 - 1900

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0084 SCHOLAR

Alain Supiot

Born 1949

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0085 POLITICIAN

Thierry Solère

Born 1971

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0086 RAPPER

20syl

Born 1979

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0087 SKATER

Fabian Bourzat

Born 1980

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0088 ILLUSTRATOR

Marcel Moore

1892 - 1972

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0089 FOOTBALL

Chaker Alhadhur

Born 1991

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0090 FOOTBALL

Loïc Amisse

Born 1954

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0091 ACTOR

Thierry Fortineau

1953 - 2006

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0092 POET

Constance de Théis

1767 - 1845

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0093 OFFICER

Athanase-Charles-Marie Charette de la Contrie

1832 - 1911

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0094 WRITER

Marc Elder

1884 - 1933

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0095 FOOTBALL

Jan Michaelsen

Born 1970

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0096 HISTORIAN

Reynald Secher

Born 1955

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0097 SCULPTOR

Camille Bryen

1907 - 1977

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0098 FILM

Jean-Loup Hubert

Born 1949

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0099 ROWER

Alice Milliat

1884 - 1957

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0100 PIANIST

France Clidat

1932 - 2012

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0101 ACTOR

Margot Abascal

Born 1973

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0102 HISTORIAN

Maturin Veyssière La Croze

1661 - 1739

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0103 ACTOR

Laure Guibert

Born 1968

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0104 FOOTBALL

Hakan Özmert

Born 1985

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0105 FOOTBALL

Stéphane Ziani

Born 1971

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0106 PAINTER

Ferdinand du Puigaudeau

1864 - 1930

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0107 NATIONALIST

Célestin Lainé

1908 - 1983

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0108 CHESS

Jules Arnous de Rivière

1830 - 1905

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0109 PHILOSOPHER

Léon Robin

1866 - 1947

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0110 WORLD WAR

Alfred Heurtaux

1893 - 1985

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0111 POLITICIAN

Nicole Questiaux

Born 1930

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0112 POLITICIAN

Marie-Hélène Aubert

Born 1955

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0113 PAINTER

Henri-Pierre Picou

1824 - 1895

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0114 MILITAR

Charles-Ange Laisant

1841 - 1920

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0115 FEUDATORY

Françoise de Lorraine, Duchess of Vendôme

1592 - 1669

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0116 WRITER

Charles Monselet

1825 - 1888

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0117 ACTOR

Caroline Vigneaux

Born 1975

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0118 POLITICIAN

Franck Borotra

Born 1937

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0119 ARCHITECT

Mathurin Crucy

1749 - 1826

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0120 POET

Hugues Rebell

1867 - 1905

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0121 SCULPTOR

Charles-Auguste Lebourg

1829 - 1906

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0122 POLITICIAN

Johanna Rolland

Born 1979

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0123 JOURNALIST

Ivan Rioufol

Born 1952

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0124 ARISTOCRAT

Peter II, Duke of Brittany

1418 - 1457

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0125 POLITICIAN

Bernadette Malgorn

Born 1951

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0126 CHEMIST

Sophie Berthelot

1837 - 1907

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0127 PRIEST

Pierre Rousselot

1878 - 1915

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0128 PAINTER

Auguste-Hyacinthe Debay

1804 - 1865

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0129 POLITICIAN

Julien de Lallande Poydras

1746 - 1824

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0130 PRIEST

Olivier Leborgne (évêque)

Born 1963

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0131 POLITICIAN

André Morice

1900 - 1990

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0132 HISTORIAN

Michelle Bubenicek

Born 1971

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0133 PAINTER

Charles Le Roux

1814 - 1895

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0134 PAINTER

Alexandre-Jacques Chantron

1842 - 1918

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0135 ACTOR

Patrick d'Assumçao

Born 1959

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0136 SPORT

Lilian Jégou

Born 1976

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0137 LAWYER

Faustin Hélie

1799 - 1884

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0138 COMPOSER

Alan Simon (musician)

Born 1964

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0139 CONDUCTOR

Gaston Serpette

1846 - 1904

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0140 WRITER

Paul Verne

1829 - 1897

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0141 SPORT

Anthony Ravard

Born 1983

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0142 POLITICIAN

Sophie Errante

Born 1971

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0143 OFFICER

Émile Mellinet

1798 - 1894

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0144 COMPOSER

Aristide Hignard

1822 - 1898

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0145 FOOTBALL

Pascal Delhommeau

Born 1978

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0146 FOOTBALL

Laurent Viaud

Born 1969

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0147 HUMOURIST

Ahmed Sylla

Born 1990

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0148 POET

Adélaïde Dufrénoy

1765 - 1825

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0149 MATHEMATICIAN

Olivier Rey

Born 1964

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0150 POLITICIAN

Seybah Dagoma

Born 1978

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0151 AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Jacques-Donatien Le Ray de Chaumont

1725 - 1803

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0152 FOOTBALL

Abdoulaye Touré (footballer)

Born 1994

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0153 VIOLIN

Camilla Urso

1840 - 1902

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0154 BASKET

Florence Lepron

Born 1985

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0155 DIPLOMAT

Charles de Chassiron

1818 - 1871

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0156 INVENTOR

Lucien Vidi

1805 - 1866

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0157 PAINTER

Felix Thomas

1815 - 1875

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0158 DIPLOMAT

François Cacault

1743 - 1805

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0159 WRITER

Jean-Pierre Abraham

1936 - 2003

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0160 POLITICIAN

Christophe Priou

Born 1958

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0161 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

René Lemarchand

Born 1932

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0162 ARCHITECT

Henry Jacques Le Même

1897 - 1997

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0163 ARMY

Roland Glavany

1922 - 2017

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0164 CHEMIST

Stéphane Leduc

1853 - 1939

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0165 SCULPTOR

Jean Fréour

1919 - 2010

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0166 ROWER

Guillaume Raineau

Born 1986

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0167 PAINTER

Maurice Chabas

1862 - 1947

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0168 WRITER

Michel Chaillou

1930 - 2013

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0169 WRITER

Augustin Hamon

1862 - 1945

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0170 ACTOR

Laurent Kerusoré

Born 1974

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0171 FOOTBALL

Yohan Hautcœur

Born 1981

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0172 ACTOR

Lucie Borleteau

Born 1980

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0173 PAINTER

Jean Émile Laboureur

1877 - 1943

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0174 CELLIST

Jérôme Pernoo

Born 1972

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0175 ENTREPRENEUR

Frédéric Mazzella

Born 1976

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0176 PHYSICIAN

François Bonamy

1710 - 1786

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0177 PRESBYTER

Jean-Baptiste Morvan de Bellegarde

1648 - 1734

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0178 ACTOR

Géraldine Martineau

Born 1985

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0179 SPORT

Yvon Bertin

Born 1953

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0180 HOCKEY

Florian Hardy

Born 1985

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0181 SCULPTOR

Jean-Baptiste Joseph Debay (1802-1862)

1802 - 1862

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0182 ARTIST

Pierrick Sorin

Born 1960

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0183 FOOTBALL

Anthony Walongwa

Born 1993

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0184 POET

Jacques Viot

1898 - 1973

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0185 ARCHITECT

Allain Provost

Born 1938

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0186 SPORT

Pierre Barbotin

1926 - 2009

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0187 ARISTOCRAT

Lambert I of Nantes

Died 836

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0188 BOBSLED

Max Robert

Born 1967

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0189 ACTOR

Malka Ribowska

1931 - 2020

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0190 ROWER

Yves Hocdé

Born 1973

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0191 ACTOR

Victoire Du Bois

Born 1988

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0192 ACTOR

Alexia Stresi

Born 1971

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0193 RIDER

Tom Pagès

Born 1985

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0194 PRIEST

Hervé Gosselin

Born 1956

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0195 POLITICIAN

Marie-Françoise Clergeau

Born 1948

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0196 WRITER

Alain Defossé

1957 - 2017

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0197 SPORT

Magalie Pottier

Born 1989

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0198 ARCHITECT

Pol Abraham

1891 - 1966

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0199 PAINTER

Joseph Aubert

1849 - 1924

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0200 EGYPTOLOGIST

Marc Gabolde

Born 1957

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0201 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Christian Huitema

Born 1953

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0202 JOURNALIST

Georges Hourdin

1899 - 1999

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0203 ACTOR

Jean Sarment

1897 - 1976

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0204 CHEF

Édouard Nignon

1865 - 1934

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0205 PHYSICIAN

Jules Germain François Maisonneuve

1809 - 1897

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0206 SETTLER

Mareen Duvall

1625 - 1699

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0207 FILM

Éléonore Faucher

Born 1973

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0208 BOTANIST

André Maublanc

1880 - 1958

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0209 PAINTER

Pierre Cacault

1744 - 1810

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0210 ARCHITECT

José Oubrerie

Born 1932

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0211 COMPOSER

Théodore Ritter

1840 - 1886

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0212 WRITER

Xavier Armange

Born 1947

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0213 FOOTBALL

Amadou Dia

Born 1993

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0214 POET

Mélanie Waldor

1796 - 1871

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0215 PRELATE

Adolphe-Maria Gustave Hardy

1920 - 2011

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0216 PAINTER

Martin Barré

1924 - 1993

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0217 COUNTESS

Marie of Brittany, Lady of La Guerche

1391 - 1446

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0218 FOOTBALL

Philippe Billy

Born 1982

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0219 PROFESSOR

Gérard Dédéyan

Born 1942

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0220 LITHOGRAPHER

Alfred Guesdon

1808 - 1876

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0221 POLITICIAN

Isabelle Le Callennec

Born 1966

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0222 FREESTYLE

Antoine Adelisse

Born 1996

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0223 ATHLETIC

Laura Valette

Born 1997

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0224 DRUMMER

Edward Perraud

Born 1971

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0225 FOOTBALL

Délis Ahou

Born 1984

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0226 GYMNAST

Loan His

Born 1999

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0227 FILM

Thierry Poiraud

Born 1970

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0228 FOOTBALL

Clara Matéo

Born 1997

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0229 BIOLOGIST

Christine Jean

Born 1957

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0230 PAINTER

Rémi Blanchard

1958 - 1993

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0231 COMPOSER

Roger Tessier

Born 1939

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0232 PAINTER

Jean-Hilaire Belloc

1786 - 1866

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0233 JUDO

Barbara Harel

Born 1977

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0234 ART HISTORIAN

Émile Molinier

1857 - 1906

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0235 PAINTER

Pierre-Antoine Labouchère

1807 - 1873

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0236 CHEMIST

Alberte Pullman

1920 - 2011

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0237 FOOTBALL

Thomas Deniaud

Born 1971

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0238 MUSIC

Lionel de La Laurencie

1861 - 1933

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0239 JOURNALIST

Jean-Michel Barrault

Born 1927

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0240 POLITICIAN

Sylvie Robert

1963 - 2014

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0241 POLITICIAN

Caroline Janvier

Born 1982

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0242 FOOTBALL

Dylan Bikey

Born 1995

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0243 HISTORIAN

Jean-Pierre Arrignon

Born 1943

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0244 MISSING

Charles Vacquerie

1817 - 1843

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0245 SURGEON

Édouard Kirmisson

1848 - 1927

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0246 OFFICER

Charles-Marie-Augustin de Goyon

1803 - 1870

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0247 MAN OF LETTERS

Anne-Gabriel Meusnier de Querlon

1702 - 1780

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0248 LAWYER

Jean-Jacques Renouard de Villayer

1607 - 1691

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0249 HISTORIAN

Charles-Louis Chassin

1831 - 1901

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0250 MISSIONARY

Cassien de Nantes

1607 - 1638

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0251 WRITER

Olivier Bourdeaut

Born 1980

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0252 COMPOSER

Paul Puget

1848 - 1917

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0253 ECONOMIST

Pascaline Dupas

-

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0254 EDUCATION

Daniel Hameline

Born 1931

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0255 GEOLOGIST

Charles Lory

1823 - 1889

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0256 WRITER

Hervé Le Boterf

1921 - 2000

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0257 POET

Paul-Louis Rossi

Born 1933

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0258 SPORT

Lylian Lebreton

Born 1972

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0259 SPORT

Pascal Deramé

Born 1970

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0260 DIPLOMAT

Louis-André Pichon

1771 - 1854

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0261 ROWER

Jean Cosmat

1910 - 2010

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0262 ACADEMIC

Jean-Marc Jézéquel

Born 1964

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0263 SAILOR

Claire Leroy

Born 1980

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0264 OPERA

Charles-Amable Battaille

1822 - 1872

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0265 POLITICIAN

Didier Borotra

Born 1937

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0266 SCULPTOR

Georges Robin

1904 - 1928

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0267 PRIEST

Paul Joüon

1871 - 1940

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0268 BOBSLED

Christophe Fouquet

Born 1974

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0269 HISTORIAN

Jehan Desanges

Born 1929

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0270 ART HISTORIAN

Yves Bottineau

1925 - 2008

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0271 POLITICIAN

Philippe Boënnec

Born 1951

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0272 CONDUCTOR

Louis Vuillemin

1879 - 1929

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0273 PAINTER

Joséphine Houssaye

1840 - 1901

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0274 HISTORIAN

Victor-Lucien Tapié

1900 - 1974

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0275 PLAYWRIGHT

Victor-Émile Michelet

1861 - 1938

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0276 POLITICIAN

Régis de l'Estourbeillon

1858 - 1946

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0277 PAINTER

Narcisse Chaillou

1835 - 1916

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0278 POLITICIAN

Valérie Oppelt

Born 1973

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0279 PAINTER

Émile Dezaunay

1854 - 1938

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0280 PHYSICIST

Marie-Anne Bouchiat

Born 1934

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0281 MONK

Martin of Vertou

527 - 601

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0282 PRIEST

Guillaume Mollat

1877 - 1968

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0283 ACADEMIC

Alfred Rébelliau

1858 - 1934

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0284 POLITICIAN

Robert Ballanger

1912 - 1981

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0285 POLITICIAN

Marie-Odile Bouillé

Born 1950

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0286 PAINTER

Rosalys

Born 1982

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0287 ROWER

Marcel Vandernotte

1909 - 1993

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0288 FOOTBALL

Simon Gbegnon

Born 1992

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0289 CHURCH

Félix Fournier

1803 - 1877

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0290 PRIEST

Jean Baudoin

1662 - 1698

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0291 SCREENWRITER

Wilfrid Lupano

Born 1971

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0292 WRITER

Armel de Wismes

1922 - 2009

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0293 JOURNALIST

Alphonse Séché

1876 - 1964

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0294 PAINTER

Jean-Charles Blais

Born 1956

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0295 HISTORIAN

Madeleine Giteau

1918 - 2005

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0296 PAINTER

Charles Toché

1851 - 1916

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0297 POET

Michel Luneau

1934 - 2012

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0298 FILM

Didier Poiraud

Born 1966

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0299 LIEUTENANT

Théophile Lefebvre

1811 - 1860

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0300 PAINTER

Gabriel Robin

1902 - 1970

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