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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[]

Year Performer(s) Song Language Translation Position Points Note(s)
2004 Thomas Pontier "Si on voulait bien" French If we wanted to 6 78
Did not participate from 2005 to 2017
2018 Angélina "Jamais sans toi" French English Never without you 2 203
2019 Carla "Bim bam toi" French Bim bam you 5 169
2020 Valentina "J'imagine" I imagine 1 200
2021 Enzo "Tic Tac" - 3 187 Host country entry
2022 Lissandro "Oh maman!" Oh mother! 1 203
2023 Zoé Clauzure "Cœur" Heart 1 228 Host country entry
Eurovision Song Contest
Winners
Lys AssiaCorry BrokkenAndré ClaveauTeddy ScholtenJacqueline BoyerJean-Claude PascalIsabelle AubretGrethe & Jørgen IngmannGigliola CinquettiFrance GallUdo JürgensSandie ShawMassielSaloméLuluLenny KuhrFrida BoccaraDanaSéverineVicky LeandrosAnne-Marie DavidABBATeach-InBrotherhood of ManMarie MyriamIzhar Cohen & AlphabetaMilk & HoneyJohnny LoganBucks FizzNicoleCorinne HermèsHerreysBobbysocks!Sandra KimJohnny LoganCéline DionRivaToto CutugnoCarolaLinda MartinNiamh KavanaghPaul Harrington & Charlie McGettiganSecret GardenEimear QuinnKatrina and the WavesDana InternationalCharlotte NilssonOlsen BrothersTanel Padar & Dave Benton with 2XLMarie NSertab ErenerRuslanaHelena PaparizouLordiMarija ŠerifovićDima BilanAlexander RybakLenaEli & NikkiLoreenEmmelie de ForestConchita WurstMåns ZelmerlöwJamalaSalvador SobralNettaDuncan LaurenceMåneskinKalush OrchestraLoreen
Winning Songs
RefrainNet als toenDors, mon amourEen beetjeTom PillibiNous les amoureuxUn premier amourDanseviseNon ho l'etàPoupée de cire, poupée de sonMerci, chériePuppet on a StringLa, la, laVivo cantandoBoom Bang-a-BangDe troubadourUn jour, un enfantAll Kinds of EverythingUn banc, un arbre, une rueAprès toiTu te reconnaîtrasWaterlooDing-a-DongSave Your Kisses for MeL'oiseau et l'enfantA-Ba-Ni-BiHallelujahWhat's Another YearMaking Your Mind UpEin bißchen FriedenSi la vie est cadeauDiggi-Loo Diggi-LeyLa det swingeJ'aime la vieHold Me NowNe partez pas sans moiRock MeInsieme: 1992Fångad av en stormvindWhy Me?In Your EyesRock 'n' Roll KidsNocturneThe VoiceLove Shine a LightDivaTake Me to Your HeavenFly on the Wings of LoveEverybodyI WannaEvery Way That I CanWild DancesMy Number OneHard Rock HallelujahMolitvaBelieveFairytaleSatelliteRunning ScaredEuphoriaOnly TeardropsRise Like a PhoenixHeroes1944Amar pelos doisToyArcadeZitti e buoniStefaniaTattoo
Contests
19561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Countries
AlbaniaAndorraArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBelarusBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIcelandIrelandIsraelItalyLatviaLithuaniaLuxembourgNorth MacedoniaMaltaMoldovaMonacoMontenegroMoroccoThe NetherlandsNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSan MarinoSerbiaSerbia and MontenegroSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomYugoslavia
Miscellaneous
European Broadcasting UnionEurovision Song Contest
Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Winners
Dino JelušićMaría IsabelKsenia SitnikTolmachevy SistersAlexey ZhigalkovichBzikebiRalf MackenbachVladimir ArzumanyanCANDYAnastasiya PetrykGaia CauchiVincenzo CantielloDestiny ChukunyereMariam MamadashviliPolina BogusevichRoksana WęgielViki GaborValentinaMalénaLissandroZoé Clauzure
Winning Songs
"Ti si moja prva ljubav" • "Antes muerta que sencilla" • "My vmeste" • "Vesenniy Jazz" • "S druz'yami" • "Bzzz..." • "Click Clack" • "Mama" • "Candy Music" • "Nebo" • "The Start" • "Tu primo grande amore" • "Not My Soul" • "Mzeo" • "Wings" • "Anyone I Want to Be" • "Superhero" • "J'imagine" • "Qami Qami" • "Oh maman!" • "Cœur"
Contests
2003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Countries
AlbaniaArmeniaAustraliaAzerbaijanBelarusBelgiumBulgariaCroatiaCyprusDenmarkEstoniaFranceGeorgiaGermanyGreeceIrelandIsraelItalyKazakhstanLatviaLithuaniaNorth MacedoniaMaltaMoldovaMontenegroThe NetherlandsNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSan MarinoSerbiaSerbia and MontenegroSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUkraineUnited KingdomWales
Miscellaneous
Junior Eurovision Song Contest
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