Tauatomo Mairau, a descendant of the Tahitian royal family, claims the title of King of Tahiti and demands (unsuccessfully) the return to him by France of the royal lands annexed in 1880

Marie NDiaye wins the Prix Goncourt with Trois femmes puissantes ("Three Strong Women"), a story of family relationships linking France and Senegal

François Hollande defeats Nicolas Sarkozy and becomes president of France

86 people are killed and more than 400 others injured in a truck attack in Nice, France, during Bastille Day celebrations