List of French women writers
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This is a list of women writers who were born in France or whose writings are closely associated with that country.
A
- Juliette Adam (1836–1936), novelist, non-fiction writer, magazine editor
- Marie d'Agoult, pen name Daniel Stern (1805–1876), novelist, essayist, history writer
- Anne-Marie Albiach (1937–2012), poet, translator
- Hortense Allart (1801–1879), feminist writer, essayist
- Almucs de Castelnau (12th century), troubadour poet writing in Occitan
- Catherine d'Amboise (1475–1550), semi-autobiographical novelist, poet
- Virginie Ancelot (1792–1875), painter, playwright
- Christine Angot (born 1959), novelist, playwright
- Azalaïs d'Arbaud (1834–1917), Occitan-language writer
- Sophie d'Arbouville (1810–1850), poet, short story writer
- Catherine Arley, pen name of Pierrette Pernot (born 1924), novelist, actress
- Angélique Arnaud (1799–1884), novelist, essayist, feminist
- Madeleine de l’Aubespine (1546–1596), poet, literary patron, one of the earliest female erotic poets
- Gwenaëlle Aubry (born 1971), novelist, philosopher, non-fiction writer
- Colette Audry (1906–1990), novelist, screenwriter, critic
- Marie-Catherine d'Aulnoy (c. 1650–1705), writer of fairy tales, historical novels
- Félicie d'Ayzac (1801–1881), poet, art historian
- Azalais de Porcairagues (12th century), Occitan-language troubadour
B
- Tristane Banon (born 1979), novelist, journalist, television presenter
- Arvède Barine (1840–1908), non-fiction writer, historian, literary critic
- Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972), American-born poet, playwright, novelist, wrote mainly in French
- Sophie Bawr (1773–1860), playwright, non-fiction writer
- Fanny de Beauharnais (1737–1813), poet, novelist, playwright, salonist
- Simone de Beauvoir (1908–1986), novelist, essayist, existentialist philosopher, feminist
- Béatrix Beck (1914–2008), novelist, short story writer, poet, of Belgian origin
- Alice Becker-Ho (born 1941), poet, non-fiction writer
- Claude de Bectoz (1490–1547), poet, letter writer
- Maud de Belleroche (born 1922), best-selling novelist, memoirist, biographer
- Juliette Benzoni (born 1920), novelist
- Catherine Bernard (1662–1712), poet, playwright, novelist
- Paulette Bernège (1896–1973), journalist, housework specialist, prolific non-fiction writer
- Emmanuèle Bernheim (born 1955), novelist, screenwriter
- Carmen Bernos de Gasztold (1919–1995), poet
- Louise Bertin (1805–1877), composer, poet
- Mireille Best (1943-2005), novelist, often featuring lesbian characters
- Nella Bielski (born 1930s), Ukrainian-born French novelist, actress
- Gisèle Bienne (born 1946), novelist, writer for young adults
- Raphaële Billetdoux (born 1951), novelist
- Marie-Claire Bancquart (born 1932), poet, essayist, critic, educator
- Marie Bonaparte-Wyse (1831–1902), novelist, playwright
- Catherine de Bourbon (1559–1604), princess, poet, letter writer
- Jeanne Bouvier (1865-1964), feminist, trade unionist
- Sarah Bouyain (born 1968), novelist, film director
- Nina Bouraoui (born 1967), novelist
- Dounia Bouzar (born 1964), anthropologist, writer
- Marie-Anne de Bovet (1855-?), novelist, journalist
- Anne-Sophie Brasme (born 1984), novelist
- Geneviève Brisac (born 1951), novelist, short story writer, children's writer, critic, screenwriter
- Josette Bruce (1920–1996), Polish-born novelist
- Andrée Brunin (1937–1993), poet, many works set to music
C
- Claude Cahun(1894–1854), poet, novelist, photograph, essayist, translator, résistante
- Nina de Callias (1843–1884), poet, salonist
- Amélie-Julie Candeille (1767–1834), composer, librettist, playwright
- Marie Cardinal (1929–2001), novelist
- Castelloza (13th century), troubadour poet
- Claire Castillon (born 1975), novelist, playwright
- Anne-Marie Cazalis (1920–1988), journalist, poet, essayist, novelist, actress
- Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de La Force (1654–1724), successful novelist, poet, memoirist
- Françoise Chandernagor (born 1945), novelist, playwright
- Edmonde Charles-Roux (born 1920), novelist, journalist, photographer
- Noëlle Châtelet (born 1944), essayist, novelist, short story writer, educator
- Chantal Chawaf (born 1943), novelist, essayist
- Madeleine Chapsal (born 1925), novelist, poet, critic
- Élisabeth Sophie Chéron (1648–1711), painter, poet, translator
- Maryse Choisy (1903–1979), philosopher, novelist, non-fiction writer
- Hélène Cixous (born 1937), Algerian-born French novelist, poet, playwright, philosopher, critic, feminist writer
- Catherine Clément (born 1939), philosopher, novelist, feminist, critic
- Gabrielle de Coignard (1550–1586), religious poet
- Louise Colet (1810–1876), poet, novelist, salonist
- Colette (1873–1954), novelist, author of Gigi
- Henriette de Coligny de La Suze (1618–1673), poet
- Anne-Hyacinthe de Colleville (1761–1824), novelist, playwright
- Danielle Collobert (1940–1978), poet, novelist, short story writer, journalist
- Sophie Ristaud Cottin (1770–1807), novelist, several historical novels
- Hélisenne de Crenne (1510–1552), novelist, epistolary writer, translator
- Pauline Marie Armande Craven (1808–1891), non-fiction writer
D
- Jocelyne Dakhlia (born 1959), French historian, anthropologist and academic
- Gilberte H. Dallas, pen name of Gilberte Herschtel (1918-1960), poet, important member of the poètes maudits
- Marie Darrieussecq (born 1969), novelist
- Countess Dash, pen name of Gabrielle Anne Cisterne de Courtiras, vicomtesse de Saint-Mars (1804–1872), novelist
- Régine Deforges (1935–2014), novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright
- Alix Delaporte (born 1969), film director, screenwriter
- Lucie Delarue-Mardrus (1874–1945), poet, novelist, journalist
- Florence Delay (born 1941), novelist, essayist, playwright, translator, actress
- Lucie Delarue-Mardrus (1874–1945), journalist, poet, novelist, sculptor
- Sylvie Denis (born 1963), novelist, magazine editor, translator
- Maria Deraismes (1828–1894), playwright, essayist, women's rights activist
- Marceline Desbordes-Valmore (1786–1859), poet, novelist
- Antoinette Des Houlières (1638–1694), poet
- Marie-Anne Desmarest (1904–1973), novelist
- Catherine Des Roches (1542–1587), Renaissance poet, daughter of Madelaine Des Roches
- Madeleine Des Roches (c.1520–1587), Renaissance poet, mother of Catherine Des Roches
- Madeleine Desroseaux (1873–1939), Breton poet, novelist, playwright, short story writer
- Jeanne Deroin (1805–1894), journalist, women's activist after the Revolution
- Dominique Desanti (1920–2011), journalist, novelist, biographer, educator
- Agnès Desarthe (born 1966), children's writer, novelist
- Marceline Desbordes-Valmore (1786–1859), poet
- Maryline Desbiolles (born 1959), novelist
- Anne Desclos (1907–1998), journalist, novelist, translator
- Madeleine Desroseaux (1873–1939), Breton-language poet, novelist
- Régine Deforges (1935–2014) best-selling novelist, editor, director, playwright, known for her erotic works
- Antoinette Deshoulières (1638–1694), poet
- Virginie Despentes (born 1969), novelist, autobiographical works
- Marie Desplechin (born 1959), successful novelist, children's writer
- Jane Dieulafoy (1851–1916), archaeologist, novelist, journalist
- Geneviève Dormann (1933–2015), journalist, novelist
- Pernette Du Guillet (c.1520–1545), Renaissance poet
- Caroline Dubois (born 1960), poet
- Charlotte Dubreuil (born 1940), novelist, filmmaker, screenwriter
- Catherine Dufour (born 1966), novelist
- Claire de Duras (1777–1828), novelist, author of Ourika
- Marguerite Duras (1914–1996), novelist, playwright, screenwriter of Hiroshima mon amour
- Vanessa Duriès (1972–1993), novelist, author of The Ties That Bind
E
- Françoise d'Eaubonne (1920–2005), feminist essayist, science fiction novelist
- Annie Ernaux (born 1940), autobiographical novelist
- Claire Etcherelli (born 1934), novelist
F
- Geneviève Fauconnier (1886–1969), novelist
- Madame de La Fayette (1634–1693), novelist, author of La Princesse de Clèves
- Amanda Filipacchi (born 1967), French-born American novelist
- Adelaide Filleul (1761–1836), novelist, one of the most distinguished writers of her times
- Zénaïde Fleuriot (1829–1890), prolific novelist writing for young women
- Pierrette Fleutiaux (born 1941), novelist, short story writer
- Brigitte Fontaine (born 1939), singer, novelist, playwright, poet
- Viviane Forrester (1925–2013), essayist, novelist, critic
- Jeanne-Justine Fouqueau de Pussy (1786-1863), author of children’s and educational works
- Jocelyne François (born 1933), lesbian novelist, poet, diairist
G
- Jeanne Galzy (1883–1977), novelist, biographer
- Anne-Marie Garat (born 1946), novelist
- Anne F. Garréta (born 1962), novelist
- Judith Gautier (1845–1917), poet, historical novelist, playwright, translator, music critic
- Anna Gavalda (born 1970), best-selling novelist, short story writer, works widely translated
- Sophie Gay (1776–1852), novelist, playwright, librettist
- Stéphanie Félicité, comtesse de Genlis (1746–1830), novelist, playwright, children's writer
- Rosemonde Gérard (1871–1953), poet, playwright
- Sylvie Germain (born 1954), novelist, essayist, biographer
- Amélie Gex (1835–1883), poet, also wrote in Franco-Provençal
- Delphine de Girardin (1804–1855), essayist, poet, novelist
- Anne Golon (born 1921), novelist, author of the Angélique series of historical novels
- Mélanie Gouby (active since 2011), journalist
- Olympe de Gouges (1748–1793), playwright, feminist writer, executed after the Revolution
- Marie de Gournay (1585–1645), novelist, essayist, critic
- Françoise de Graffigny (1695–1758), novelist, playwright
- Évelyne Grandjean (born 1939), actress, playwright, screenwriter
- Henry Gréville, pen name of Alice Durand (1842–1902), widely translated novelist
- Benoîte Groult (born 1920), novelist, feminist
- Claudine Guérin de Tencin (1682–1749), literary patron, novelist, letter writer
- Pernette du Guillet (c. 1520–1545), poet, most of her works intended to be set to music as songs
H
- Béatrice Hammer (born 1963), novelist, children's writer, playwright
- Mireille Havet (1898–1932), poet, diarist, novelist
- Nathalie Henneberg (1910–1977), science fiction novelist
- Catherine Hermary-Vieille (born 1981), novelist
J
- Paula Jacques (born 1949), Egyptian-born French novelist, journalist, radio host
- Gaëlle Josse (born 1960), poet, novelist
K
- Fabienne Kanor (born 1970), journalist, novelist, filmmaker
- Maylis de Kerangal (born 1967), novelist
- Thérèse Kuoh-Moukouri (born 1938), Cameroon-born French novelist, essayist
L
- Anne de La Roche-Guilhem (1644–1710), novelist, moved to England
- Sylvie Lainé (born 1957), science fiction novelist, short story writer
- Jeanne Lapauze (1860–1920), born Jeanne Loiseau, poet, novelist, used the pen name Daniel Lesueur [[see: Loiseau at www.daniel-lesueur.com (1854-1921) <<french version>>]]
- Camille Laurens (born 1957), novelist
- Linda Lê (born 1963), Vietnamese-born French novelist
- Simone Le Bargy (1877–1985), actress, novelist, memoirist
- Martine Le Coz (born 1955), novelist, poet, non-fiction writer
- Violette Leduc (1907–1972), best-selling novelist, autobiographer
- Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont (1711–1780), novelist, fairy tale writer, author of Beauty and the Beast
M
- Jeanne Marni (1854–1910), novelist, playwright, essayist
- Anne de Marquets (c. 1533–1588), religious poet, nun, author of Les Sonets spirituels
- Sophie Massieu (born 1975), journalist
- Renée Massip (1907–2002), novelist, journalist
- Meavenn, pen name of Francine Rozec (1911–1992), Breton-language poet, novelist, playwright
- Christine Messiant (1947-2006), sociologist
- Natacha Michel (born 1941), political activist, novelist, critic
- Jane Misme (1865–1935), journalist, feminist
- Ursule Molinaro (1916–2000), French-American novelist, playwright, translator, wrote in French and English
N
- Marguerite de Navarre (1492–1549), poet, playwright, short story writer, author of the short story collection Heptaméron
- Marie NDiaye (born 1967), novelist, playwright
- Anna de Noailles (1876–1933), highly acclaimed novelist, poet, autobiographer
- Florence Noiville (born 1961), journalist, children's writer, novelist, non-fiction writer
O
- Véronique Olmi (born 1962), novelist, playwright, short story writer
P
- Katherine Pancol (born 1954), best-selling novelist, journalist, author of Les Yeux jaunes des crocodiles (The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles)
- Madeleine Pelletier (1874–1939), feminist writer
- Georges de Peyrebrune (1841–1917), prolific novelist, columnist, feminist
- Anne Plichota (born 1969), children's writer, novelist
- Aliénor de Poitiers(15th century), writer on court etiquette
R
- Rachilde, pen name of Marguerite Vallette-Eymery (1860–1953), novelist, non-fiction writer, author of Monsieur Vénus
- Marie Redonnet, pen name of Martine L'hospitalier (born 1948), poet, novelist, essayist, short story writer, playwright
- Christine Renard (1929–1979), science fiction novelist
- Yasmina Reza (born 1959), plywright, novelist, actress, screenwriter, author of God of Carnage
- Marie Jeanne Riccoboni (1714–1792), novelist, editor
- Catherine Rihoit (born 1950), novelist, biographer
- Christine de Rivoyre (born 1921), novelist, journalist
- Antoinette Henriette Clémence Robert (1797–1872), novelist, playwright
- Nina Roberts (born 1979), erotic novelist, actress
- Tatiana de Rosnay (born 1961), journalist, best-selling novelist, screenwriter,
- Marie-Anne de Roumier-Robert (1705–1771), early science fiction novelist
- Pascale Roze (born 1954), playwright, novelist, author of Sarah's Key (Elle s'appelait Sarah)
S
- Françoise Sagan (1935–2004), playwright, novelist, screenwriter, author of Bonjour Tristesse
- Vefa de Saint-Pierre (1872–1967), explorer, reporter, Breton-language poet, children's writer
- Lydie Salvayre (born 1948), novelist, works widely translated
- George Sand (1804–1876), novelist, playwright, author of Indiana
- Nathalie Sarraute (1900–1999), Russian-born French novelist, pioneer of the nouveau roman
- Albertine Sarrazin (1937-1967), French-Algerian novelist, essayist, poet
- Simone Schwarz-Bart (born 1938), Guadeloupian-French novelist, playwright, non-fiction writer
- Ann Scott (born 1965), novelist, short story writer
- Madeleine de Scudéry (1607–1701), novelist, works containing lengthy conversations
- Countess of Ségur (1799–1874), Russian-born French novelist, children's writer
- Eulalie de Senancour (1791–1876), journalist, novelist, children's writer
- Coline Serreau (born 1947), actress, film director, playwright, essayist
- Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné (1626–1696), letter writer
- Shan Sa, pen name of Yan Ni (born 1972), Chinese-born French poet, novelist, painter, now writing in French
- Germaine de Staël, also Madame de Staël (1766–1817), essayist, novelist, non-fiction writer, salonist
- Louise Swanton Belloc (1796–1881), translator, essayist, novelist, non-fiction writer, children's book writer, feminist
T
- Tibors de Sarenom (12th century), troubadour poet, writing in Occitan
- Chantal Thomas (born 1945), historian, novelist
- Édith Thomas (1909–1970), novelist, historian, journalist
- Gilles Thomas, pen name of Éliane Taïeb (1929–1985), science fiction novelist
- Annette Tison (born 1942), architect, children's writer, co-creator of Barbapapa
- Valerie Toranian (born 1962), journalist, editor of Elle
- Nicole Tourneur (1950–2011), novelist, children's writer
- Elsa Triolet (1896–1970), Russian-born French novelist, first women to win the Prix Goncourt, wrote in Russian and French
- Nadine Trintignant (born 1934), film editor, writer, director, producer, and novelist
- Flora Tristan (1803–1844), socialist writer, feminist
V
- Valérie Valère (1961–1981), best selling autobiographical novelist
- Fred Vargas, pen name of Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau (born 1957), best-selling crime fiction writer, historian
- Delphine de Vigan (born 1966), best-selling novelist, author of No et moi translated into 20 languages
- Marie-Catherine de Villedieu (1640–1683), playwright, novelist, short story writer
- Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve (c.1695–1755), novelist, fairy tale writer, author of Belle et la Bête
- Louise Lévêque de Vilmorin (1902–1969), novelist, poet, journalist
- Renée Vivien (1877–1909), British-born French-language poet, often writing autobiographical verse
- Élisabeth Vonarburg (born 1947), science-fiction novelist
W
- Simone Weil (1909–1943), philosopher, non-fiction works
- Anne Wiazemsky (born 1947), German-born French novelist, actress
- Joëlle Wintrebert (born 1949), science fiction novelist, children's writer
- Monique Wittig (born 1935), novelist, playwright, feminist writer
- Cendrine Wolf (born 1969), children's writer, collaborates with Anne Plichota
Y
- Marguerite Yourcenar (1903–1987), novelist and essayist
Z
- Léontine Zanta (1872–1942), novelist, feminist