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
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1,043 notable people

0901 FILM

Pedro Pires (director)

Born 1969

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0902 FILM

Xavier Liébard

Born 1968

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0903 POLITICIAN

Jean-Baptiste Bizien du Lézard

1785 - 1865

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0904 POLITICIAN

Armand Pillot

1892 - 1953

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0905 POLITICIAN

Christian Chauvel

Born 1925

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0906 ILLUSTRATOR

Michel Bouchaud

1902 - 1965

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0907 ARCHITECT

François-Jean-Baptiste Ogée

1760 - 1845

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0908 PRIEST

Luc d'Aquin

1640 - 1718

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0909 FOOTBALL

Alain Jacotin

Born 1955

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0910 FILM

Pierre Guerlais

Born 1894

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0911 ROWER

Frédérique Heligon

Born 1970

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0912 POLITICIAN

Jacques-Nicolas Guinebaud de Saint-Mesme

1738 - 1813

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0913 ORCHESTRE

Jean-Philippe Vidal

Born 1958

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0914 ARCHITECT

Marcel Chaney

1885 - 1950

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0915 MILITAR

Rolland Barrin

1646 - 1737

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0916 ROWER

Virginie Chauvel

Born 1982

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0917 SINGER

Mounqup

Born 1986

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0918 DRIVER

Yann Goudy

Born 1975

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0919 OFFICER

Pierre Louis Godet de Châtillon

1740 - 1807

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0920 PAINTER

Jean Catta

1913 - 1985

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0921 FIGHTER

Willy Pelletier (gendarme)

1913 - 1944

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0922 MILITAR

Julio Nicolás José Fonrouge de Lesseps

1804 - 1876

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0923 POLITICIAN

Anthime Pierre Louis Ménard

1860 - 1923

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0924 ZIRKUS

Ezec Le Floc’h

Born 1970

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0925 FLYING ACE

Didier Lecour Grandmaison

1889 - 1917

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0926 POLITICIAN

Louis Didier Lecour

1772 - 1849

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0927 RÉVOLUTIONNAIRE

Michel Moreau-Grandmaison

1755 - 1794

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0928 SKIPPER

Corentin Douguet

Born 1974

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0929 LAWYER

Louis Le Nail

1875 - 1952

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0930 ACTOR

Christian Mousset (comédien)

Born 1943

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0931 POLITICIAN

Auguste Bourgoin

1799 - 1869

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0932 POLITICIAN

Charles-Louis de Tinguy

1813 - 1881

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0933 MISSING

Michel Dabat

1921 - 1941

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0934 BOXER

Laure Iacono

Born 1978

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0935 AVIATEUR

Paul de Forges

1912 - 1943

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0936 NAVY

Hubert Le Loup de Beaulieu

1759 - 1799

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0937 VOILE

Émeric Dary

Born 1990

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0938 JOURNALIST

Jean Mercier (journaliste)

1964 - 2018

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0939 POLITICIAN

Gilles Gravoille

1914 - 1991

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0940 PAINTER

Yves de Valence

1928 - 2010

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0941 POLITICIAN

Auguste de Cornulier de La Lande

1812 - 1886

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0942 POLITICIAN

Louis Dubochet

1852 - 1917

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0943 FONCTIONNAIRE

Paul Théry

1895 - 1945

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0944 ROWER

Yvon Petit

Born 1945

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0945 ARCHITECT

Ferdinand Ménard

1873 - 1958

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0946 FOOTBALL

Joël Prou

Born 1946

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0947 POLITICIAN

Daniel Vié

1925 - 1998

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0948 POLITICIAN

Jacques-Louis Dufeu

1761 - 1832

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0949 POLITICIAN

Augustin Prudent de Chabot-Duparc

1766 - 1849

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0950 MILITAR

César Galbaud du Fort

1751 - 1805

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0951 RACER

Sophie Berge

Born 1964

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0952 OUVRIER

Yves Bodiguel

1910 - 1945

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0953 OFFICIER

Denis Nicolas Cottineau de Kerloguen

1745 - 1808

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0954 LAWYER

Louis Glotin

1898 - 1973

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0955 POLITICIAN

Francis Portais

1869 - 1945

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0956 POLITICIAN

Édouard Pontallié

1855 - 1928

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0957 POLITICIAN

Alphonse Laimé

1797 - 1856

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0958 PUBLICITAIRE

François Clauteaux

1920 - 2007

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0959 SAILOR

Pierre Breteche

Born 1928

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0960 PUBLISHER

Albert Boekholt

1901 - 1974

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0961 LAWYER

Armand-Charles Robin

1663 - 1750

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0962 POLITICIAN

Augustin de Loynes

1743 - 1808

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0963 POLITICIAN

Félix Guillaume Gédouin

1760 - 1830

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0964 JOURNALIST

Gérard Petitjean

Born 1944

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0965 ACTOR

François Barbin

Born 1953

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0966 MATHEMATICIAN

Alain de Lanascol

1867 - 1929

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0967 NOBLE

Guillaume Chauvin

1422 - 1484

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0968 BUSINESS

Pierre Dubern

1735 - 1810

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0969 POLITICIAN

Augustin-Moïse Auvynet

1771 - 1853

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0970 SCULPTOR

Gustave Guilbaud

1842 - 1912

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0971 POLITICIAN

Louis de Rivery

1742 - 1816

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0972 POLITICIAN

Michel Guillet de La Brosse

Born 1815

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0973 WRITER

Gaston de Maupeou Monbail

1896 - 1988

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0974 POLITICIAN

Jean Joseph Marie

Born 1743

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0975 POLITICIAN

Hippolyte-Étienne Etiennez

1832 - 1908

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0976 MAIRE

René Darquistade

1680 - 1754

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0977 POLITICIAN

Philippe-René Soubzmain

1770 - 1843

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0978 BUSINESS

Agnès O'Shiell

1713 - 1791

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0979 ENGINEER

Auguste Bonamy

1806 - 1862

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0980 ARTIST

Pierre Okley

1929 - 2007

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0981 JOURNALIST

Bernard Mallet

Born 1927

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0982 NÉGOCIANT

François Libault de La Chevasnerie

1714 - 1754

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0983 DRIVER

Victor Artus

Born 1990

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0984 OFFICER

Marie Stanislas Prévost

1776 - 1831

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0985 ARCHITECT

Émile Le Bot

Born 1889

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0986 DRIVER

Bruno Longépé

Born 1970

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0987 SCULPTOR

Jacques Lamarie

1750 - 1833

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0988 LAWYER

Édouard Lorois

1792 - 1863

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0989 LAWYER

Jean-Marie Sotin de La Coindière

1764 - 1810

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0990 HARPISTE

Armelle Gourlaouën

-

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0991 BASKET

François Brisson (basket-ball)

Born 1972

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0992 POLITICIAN

Yves de Monti

1601 - 1683

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0993 PAINTER

Louis-Émile Blanchard

1876 - 1936

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0994 ATHLETIC

René Leray

1901 - 1988

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0995 LAWYER

Émile Fauconneau Dufresne

1835 - 1913

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0996 MILITAR

Jean-Baptiste de Couëtus

1743 - 1796

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0997 POLITICIAN

François Fellonneau

1744 - 1801

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0998 WRITER

Antoine Peccot

1766 - 1814

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0999 VIOLIN

Rémi Montardon

Born 1847

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1000 POLITICIAN

Jacques de Bourgues

Died 1661

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1001 WRITER

Léonce-Charles-Désiré Gontard de Launay

Born 1859

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1002 JOURNALIST

Charles des Dorides

1830 - 1889

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1003 HOCKEY

Jérôme Moriceau

Born 1979

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1004 PRIEST

François-Ambroise Rodrigue

1730 - 1813

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1005 MILITAR

Bernard de Quatrebarbes

Died 1867

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1006 HANDBALL

Laurent Sorin

Born 1967

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1007 CHOREOGRAPHER

Sophia Noblet

Born 1973

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1008 ATHLETIC

René Jubeau

1905 - 1976

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1009 ARCHITECT

Paul Bougoüin

1876 - 1959

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1010 WRITER

Andrée Deflassieux-Fitremann

1889 - 1967

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1011 ENGINEER

Stéphane Thouvenot

1909 - 2001

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1012 SKIPPER

Jimmy Le Baut

Born 1972

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1013 NAVY

Jehan de Bouteiller

1840 - 1885

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1014 JOURNALIST

Antoine Fonteneau

Born 1975

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1015 POLITICIAN

Claude de Cornulier (1568-1645)

1568 - 1645

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1016 ENTREPRENEUR

Edme Fouquet

1789 - 1873

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1017 FOOTBALL

Romuald Ardeois

Born 1973

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1018 ADMINISTRATOR

Gaston Mondon

1882 - 1962

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1019 PRIEST

Jean-Baptiste Curatteau

1729 - 1790

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1020 PHYSICIAN

Roger de La Fuÿe

1890 - 1961

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1021 NAVY

Pierre Auguste Georges Mazaré

1874 - 1917

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1022 BUSINESS

Georges Richard de la Pervenchère

1713 - 1788

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1023 POLITICIAN

Jean de Harouys

1588 - 1668

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1024 MISSING

Henri Guichard

1856 - 1911

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1025 POLITICIAN

Pierre Noblet du Vilo

Died 1695

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1026 NATURALIST

Arthur de l'Isle du Dréneuc

1836 - 1895

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1027 PRIEST

Augustin Auffray

1881 - 1955

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1028 PRIEST

Jean de Cambourg

1908 - 2000

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1029 SOLDIER

Louis Gustave Bezou

1786 - 1825

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1030 POLITICIAN

Pierre Bernard (maire de Nantes)

Died 1618

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1031 LAWYER

Jean-Baptiste Gellée de Prémion

1711 - 1794

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1032 FOOTBALL

Stéphane Masala

Born 1976

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1033 AGRONOMIST

Chrétien-Charles Haëntjens

1790 - 1836

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1034 POLITICIAN

Pierre Poullain

Died 1672

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1035 HISTORIAN

Étienne Gaschignard

1739 - 1793

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1036 POLITICIAN

Jacques de Marquès

Died 1612

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1037 CHESS

Christian Poisson

Born 1964

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1038 NÉGOCIANT

Jean-Jacques Berrouette

1721 - 1788

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1039 ADMIRAL

Michel Mosneron-Dupin

1925 - 2013

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1040 FLYING ACE

Pierre De Cazenove De Pradines

1894 - 1982

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1041 BASSIST

Romain Lecuyer

-

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1042 OFFICIER

Yves de Kersauson

1942 - 2001

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1043 BASKET

Paul Gravet

Born 1995

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