Chronological list of French language authors (regardless of nationality), by date of birth. For an alphabetical list of writers of French nationality (broken down by genre), see French writers category.
Middle Ages
Turold (eleventh century) Wace () Chrétien de Troyes () Richard the Lionheart (Richard Coeur de Lion) (1157–1199) Benoît de Sainte-Maure (12th-century) Herman de Valenciennes (12th-century) Le Châtelain de Couci (d.1203) Jean Bodel (12th century – ) Conon de Béthune (–1220) Geoffroi de Villehardouin () Béroul () Thomas d'Angleterre () Aimeric de Peguilhan () Gace Brulé () Marie de France () Gautier de Coincy (1177/8–1236) Gautier de Dargies (–after 1236) Gautier d'Espinal († before July 1272) Gillebert de Berneville (fl c.1255) Gontier de Soignies (fl c.1180–1220) Guiot de Dijon (fl c.1200–30) Perrin d'Angicourt (fl c.1245–50) Jean Renart (fl. late 12th-first half of 13th century) Philippe de Rémi (c.1205–c1265) Philippe de Beaumanoir (c.1247–c1296) Raoul de Soissons (c.1215–1272) Richard de Fournival (1201– c.1260) Andrieu Contredit d'Arras († c.1248) Jehan le Cuvelier d'Arras (fl c.1240–70) Guillaume le Vinier (fl c.1220–45; †1245) Audefroi le Bâtard (fl c.1200–1230) Jehan Bretel (c.1200–1272) Jehan Erart († c.1259) Moniot d'Arras (fl c.1250–75) Robert de Clari (late twelfth century) Blondel de Nesle (late twelfth century) Robert de Boron (twelfth–thirteenth century) Guiot de Provins (d. after 1208) Bertrand de Bar-sur-Aube (late twelfth-early thirteenth century) Guillaume de Lorris (c.1200 – c.1238) Theobald IV of Champagne (1201–1253) Jean de Joinville ( c.1224 – c.1317) Rutebeuf (c.1230 – c.1285) Adam de la Halle (c.1250 – c.1285) Jean de Meung or Jean de Meun (1250 – c.1305) or Jean Clopinel or Chopinel Jacques Bretel (c. 1285 – c. 1310) Jean Le Bel (c.1290–1370) Colin Muset (end of thirteenth century) Guillaume de Machaut ( c.1300 – c.1377) Nicole Oresme (1325–1382) Philippe de Mézières (c.1327–1405) Jean Froissart (1333 – c.1404) Eustache Deschamps (c.1346 – c.1407) Jean Charlier called Gerson (1363–1429 Christine de Pisan (1364–1430) Alain Chartier (c.1385 – c.1435) Jean Juvénal des Ursins (1388–1473) Antoine de la Sale (1388 – c.1469) Enguerrand de Monstrelet (c.1390 – c.1453) Charles, duc d'Orléans (1394–1465)
Fifteenth century
Martin Le Franc (c.1410–1461) Eustache Marcadé (1414–1440) Georges Chastellain (1415–1475) Olivier de la Marche (1425–1502) Martial d'Auvergne ( c.1430–1508) François Villon (c.1431–after 1463) Jean Michel (c.1435–1501) Jean Molinet (1435–1507) Philippe de Commines (1445–1511) Jean Marot (1450–1526) Lefèvre d'Etaples (1455–1537) Guillaume Crétin (Guillaume Dubois) (1460–1525) Octavien de Saint-Gelais (1468–1505) Guillaume Budé (1468–1540) Jean Meschinot (active from 1450–1490) Guillaume Alexis (active from 1450–1490) Jean Lemaire de Belges (1473 – c.1525) Pierre Gringore or Gringoire (c.1475–1538/1539) François Rabelais (c.1483–1553) Aliénor de Poitiers (fl.1484) Mellin de Saint-Gelais (c.1491–1558) Marguerite de Navarre (c.1492–1549) Clément Marot (c.1496–1544)