France
Appearances
64 (ESC) 7 (JESC)
France has participated in the Contest 64 times since its debut as one of the Founding Seven in 1956. It has only been absent twice and has won the Contest five times, including a joint win at the 1969 Contest in Madrid.
Since 2004, along with Germany , Spain , United Kingdom and later Italy , it has been a member of the "Big Five", which guarantees it automatic qualification to the final due to its financial contributions to the Contest.
The country debuted at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Lillehammer, finishing in 6th place. It did not compete from 2005 to 2017 but on its return in 2018 it finished as runner-up to Poland . It won the 2020 Contest , giving the country its first-ever victory in the junior edition. It finished 3rd in 2021 , then was followed by back-to-back victories in 2022 and 2023 , tying Georgia for the most wins overall.
Participants [ ]
Eurovision Song Contest [ ]
Year
Performer(s)
Song
Language
Translation
Position
Points
Note(s)
1956
Mathé Altéry
Le temps perdu "
French
Lost time
N/A
No semi-finals
Dany Dauberson
"Il est là "
He's There
1957
Paule Desjardins
"La belle amour "
The Beautiful Love
2
17
1958
André Claveau
"Dors, mon amour "
Sleep, my love
1
27
1959
Jean Philippe
"Oui, oui, oui, oui "
Yes, yes, yes, yes
3
15
Host country
1960
Jacqueline Boyer
"Tom Pillibi "
-
1
32
No semi-finals
1961
Jean-Paul Mauric
"Printemps, avril carillonne "
Springtime, April rings
4
13
Host country
1962
Isabelle Aubret
"Un premier amour "
A first love
1
26
No semi-finals
1963
Alain Barrière
"Elle était si jolie "
She Was So Pretty
5
25
1964
Rachel
"Le chant de Mallory "
Mallory's Song
4
14
1965
Guy Mardel
"N'avoue jamais "
Never admit
3
22
1966
Dominique Walter
"Chez nous "
In our country
16
1
1967
Noëlle Cordier
"Il doit faire beau là-bas "
The Weather Must Be Good There
3
20
1968
Isabelle Aubret
"La source "
The Spring
3
20
1969
Frida Boccara
"Un jour, un enfant "
A Day, A Child
1
18
1970
Guy Bonnet
"Marie-Blanche "
-
4
8
1971
Serge Lama
"Un jardin sur la terre "
A Garden on Earth
10
82
1972
Betty Mars
"Comé-comédie "
Come-Comedy
11
81
1973
Martine Clemenceau
"Sans toi "
Without You
15
65
Withdrew from competing in 1974
1975
Nicole Rieu
"Et bonjour à toi l'artiste "
French
And a Good Day to You Artist
4
91
No semi-finals
1976
Catherine Ferry
"Un, deux, trois "
One, two, three
2
147
1977
Marie Myriam
"L'oiseau et l'enfant "
The Bird and the Child
1
136
1978
Joël Prévost
"Il y aura toujours des violons "
There Will Always Be Violins
3
119
Host country
1979
Anne-Marie David
"Je suis l'enfant soleil "
I Am the Sun Child
3
106
No semi-finals
1980
Profil
"Hé, hé M'sieurs dames "
Hey, Hey, Ladies and Gentlemen
11
45
1981
Jean Gabilou
"Humanahum "
-
3
125
Did not participate in 1982
1983
Guy Bonnet
"Vivre "
French
Living
8
56
No semi-finals
1984
Annick Thoumazeau
"Autant d'amoureux que d'étoiles "
As Many Lovers As Stars
8
61
1985
Roger Bens
"Femme dans ses rêves aussi "
Woman In Her Dreams Too
10
56
1986
Cocktail Chic
"Européennes "
European Girls
17
13
1987
Christine Minier
"Les mots d'amour n'ont pas de dimanche "
The Words of Love Don't Have a Sunday
14
44
1988
Gérard Lenorman
"Chanteur de charme "
Crooner
10
64
1989
Nathalie Pâque
"J'ai volé la vie "
I've stolen life
8
60
1990
Joëlle Ursull
"White and Black Blues "
-
2
132
1991
Amina
"C'est le dernier qui a parlé qui a raison "
It's the last to have spoken who is right
2
146
1992
Kali
"Monté la riviè "
French, Haitian Creole
Go Up the River
8
73
1993
Patrick Fiori
"Mama Corsica "
French, Corsican
Mother Corsica
4
121
Kvalifikacija za Millstreet
1994
Nina Morato
"Je suis un vrai garçon "
French
I Am a Real Boy
7
74
No semi-finals
1995
Nathalie Santamaria
"Il me donne rendez-vous "
He Makes a Date With Me
4
94
1996
Dan Ar Braz & L'Héritage des Celtes
"Diwanit Bugale "
Breton
May the Children Be Born
19
18
11
55
1997
Fanny
"Sentiments songes "
French
Liar feelings
7
95
No semi-finals
1998
Marie Line
"Où aller "
Where to Go
24
3
1999
Nayah
"Je veux donner ma voix "
I Want to Give My Voice
19
14
2000
Sofia Mestari
"Onky aura le ciel "
We'll Have The Sky
23
5
2001
Natasha St-Pier
"Je n'ai que mon âme "
French, English
All I Have Is My Soul
4
142
2002
Sandrine François
"Il faut du temps "
French
It takes time
5
104
2003
Louisa Baïleche
"Monts et merveilles "
The Moon and the stars
18
19
2004
Jonatan Cerrada
"À chaque pas "
French, Spanish
With Every Step
15
40
Member of "Big 4"
2005
Ortal
"Chacun pense à soi "
French
Everyone thinks of themselves
23
11
2006
Virginie Pouchain
"Il était temps "
It's about time
22
5
2007
Les Fatals Picards
"L'amour à la française "
French, English
Love, French Style
22
19
2008
Sébastien Tellier
"Divine "
English, French
-
19
47
2009
Patricia Kaas
"Et s'il fallait le faire "
French
And if it had to be done
8
107
2010
Jessy Matador
"Allez Ola Olé "
Come on! Olé! Olé!
12
82
2011
Amaury Vassili
"Sognu "
Corsican
I Dream
15
82
Member of "Big 5"
2012
Anggun
"Echo (You and I) "
French, English
-
22
21
2013
Amandine Bourgeois
"L'enfer et moi "
French
Hell and Me
23
14
2014
TWIN TWIN
"Moustache "
-
26
2
2015
Lisa Angell
"N'oubliez pas "
Don't forget
25
4
2016
Amir
"J'ai cherché "
French, English
I searched
6
257
2017
Alma
"Requiem "
-
12
135
2018
Madame Monsieur
"Mercy "
French
-
13
173
2019
Bilal Hassani
"Roi "
French, English
King
16
105
2020
Tom Leeb
"Mon alliée (The Best in Me) "
My ally (The Best in Me)
Cancelled
2021
Barbara Pravi
"Voilà "
French
Here
2
499
2022
Alvan & Ahez
"Fulenn "
Breton
Spark
24
17
2023
La Zarra
"Évidemment "
French
Evidently
16
104
2024
Slimane
"Mon amour "
My love
Junior Eurovision Song Contest [ ]
Junior Eurovision Song Contest