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

Showing 48 of 1,043 notable people

0024 HISTORIAN

Jean Delumeau

1923 - 2020

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0029 FILM

Denys de La Patellière

1921 - 2013

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0033 WRITER

Gabrielle Wittkop

1920 - 2002

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0044 ARTIST

Jean Graton

Born 1923

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0050 ACTOR

Jacques Legras

1923 - 2006

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0163 ARMY

Roland Glavany

1922 - 2017

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0186 SPORT

Pierre Barbotin

1926 - 2009

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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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0236 CHEMIST

Alberte Pullman

1920 - 2011

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0239 JOURNALIST

Jean-Michel Barrault

Born 1927

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0256 WRITER

Hervé Le Boterf

1921 - 2000

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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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0292 WRITER

Armel de Wismes

1922 - 2009

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0303 ACTOR

Michel Jourdan

Born 1926

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0313 PRIEST

Xavier-Marie Baronnet

1927 - 2012

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0333 POET

Jean Laroche

1921 - 2010

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0337 TEACHER

André Guillou

1923 - 2013

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0348 PRIEST

Yves-Marie Dubigeon

1927 - 2007

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0391 POLITICIAN

Jacques Sourdille

1922 - 1996

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0404 BUSINESS

Michel Bolloré

1922 - 1997

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0410 HISTORIAN

Michel Morineau

1929 - 2007

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0423 PAINTER

James Guitet

1925 - 2010

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0460 FOLKLORIST

Bernard de Parades

1921 - 2000

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0474 PAINTER

Charles Maussion

1923 - 2010

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0494 PAINTER

René Legrand

1923 - 1996

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0529 POLITICIAN

Jean Verlhac

1923 - 1995

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0536 ACTOR

Jean Bolo

1920 - 1982

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0557 POLITICIAN

Jean Clouet (homme politique)

1921 - 2008

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0591 PRIEST

Michel Viot (1924-2007)

1924 - 2007

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0613 TEACHER

Étienne Bolo

1928 - 1985

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0669 RESTAURATEUR

Pol Martin

1929 - 2007

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0688 ARTIST

André Hogommat

1925 - 2015

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0723 PRIEST

Paul Guiberteau

1924 - 2010

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0725 PRIEST

Dominique Catta

1927 - 2018

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0858 JOURNALIST

Thomas Desson

Born 1923

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0867 SOLDIER

Georges Méric de Bellefon

1927 - 1954

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0887 MILITAR

Furcy Houdet

Born 1927

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0905 POLITICIAN

Christian Chauvel

Born 1925

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0933 MISSING

Michel Dabat

1921 - 1941

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0940 PAINTER

Yves de Valence

1928 - 2010

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0947 POLITICIAN

Daniel Vié

1925 - 1998

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0958 PUBLICITAIRE

François Clauteaux

1920 - 2007

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0959 SAILOR

Pierre Breteche

Born 1928

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0980 ARTIST

Pierre Okley

1929 - 2007

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0981 JOURNALIST

Bernard Mallet

Born 1927

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1039 ADMIRAL

Michel Mosneron-Dupin

1925 - 2013

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