Events from the year 1968 in France were categorized by protests and general unrest across the country as part of the many protests of 1968 that occurred across the globe in that year.
Incumbents
President: Charles de Gaulle
Prime Minister: Georges Pompidou (until 10 July), Maurice Couve de Murville (starting 10 July)
Events
27 January – French submarine sinks in the Mediterranean with 52 men on board. 9 March – A Douglas DC-6B (43748) of L'Armée de L'Air flies into a hill on Reunion, killing 16 of the 17 occupants. The plane, which was headed from Saint-Denis to Djibouti, crashed due to an incorrect takeoff procedure causing it to fly inland instead out of towards the ocean. Among the passengers was General Ailleret, the chief of defence staff. This crash is the deadliest to occur on Reunion. 22 March – Daniel Cohn-Bendit and seven other students occupy Administrative offices of the University of Nanterre, setting in motion a chain of events that will lead France to the brink of revolution in May. 23 April – surgeons at the Hôpital de la Pitié, Paris, perform Europe's first heart transplant operation. May – student strike in May and June developed into widespread and unprecedented protests over poor working conditions and a rigid educational system, which threatened to bring down the government. 30 May – Georges Pompidou is returned as Prime Minister following general election, but – largely due to the widespread protests of May and June, it lasts for a mere 42 days before president Charles de Gaulle dismisses him and calls a new election. 23 June – Legislative Election held. 30 June – Legislative Election held. 10 July – In the second election, Maurice Couve de Murville is elected as Prime Minister. 24 August – France explodes its first hydrogen bomb, thus becoming the world's fifth nuclear power. 11 September – Air France Flight 1611 crashed into the Mediterranean off Nice, killing all 95 on board. 12 September – Launch of the Peugeot 504, successor the 404, available as a four-door five-seater saloon or five-door seven-seater estate, both with rear-wheel drive. The island of Moruroa (then known as Mururoa) in French Polynesia was used for French nuclear tests twice during the year (in August and September) leading to widespread protest from other Pacific nations. René Cassin wins the Nobel Prize for Peace.
Arts and literature
Singer Dalida releases the singles "Le Temps des Fleurs", "Je m'endors dans tes bras", and "Si j'avais des millions".
Sport
6 February – 18 February – The 1968 Winter Olympics takes place in Grenoble. The host nation finishes third on the medal table with four gold, three silver, and two bronze medals. 27 June – Tour de France begins. 7 July – French Grand Prix is won by Jacky Ickx in a Ferrari. 21 July – Tour de France ends, won by Jan Janssen of the Netherlands. 28–29 September – In the 24 hours of Le Mans motor race, the team of Pedro Rodríguez and Lucien Bianchi wins driving a Ford GT-40. In horse racing, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is won by Vaguely Noble. Jean-Claude Killy is men's overall alpine skiing world champion. The French Tennis Open is won by Ken Rosewall (men) and Nancy Richey (women). AS Saint-Étienne won the football double of Ligue 1 and Coupe de France.
Births
January to March
3 January – Gérald Mossé, jockey. 9 January – Franck Dumas, soccer player, manager. 11 January – Philippe Cavoret, skeleton racer. 21 January – Sébastien Lifshitz, screenwriter and director. 22 January – Frank Leboeuf, international soccer player. 27 January – Patrick Blondeau, soccer player. 28 January – Mathilde Seigner, actress. 4 February – Éric Sikora, soccer player. 6 February – Patrick Lemarié, motor racing driver. 9 February – Pascal Chanteur, cyclist. 9 February – Frédéric Meyrieu, cyclist. 10 February – Stéphane Pounewatchy, soccer player, agent. 13 February – Fabrice Henry, soccer player. 17 February – Jérôme Gnako, soccer player. 25 February – Sandrine Kiberlain, actress. 28 February – Éric Le Chanony, bobsledder and Olympic medallist. 1 March – Vincent Ribeton, Catholic priest and seminary rector. 9 March – Youri Djorkaeff, international soccer player. 18 March – Christophe Pinna, karateka. 23 March – Pierre Palmade, actor and comedian. 26 March – Laurent Brochard, cyclist. 28 March – Alain Caveglia, soccer player.