Marcel Otte is a professor of Prehistory at the Université de Liège, Belgium. He is a specialist in Religion, Arts, Sociobiology, and the Upper Palaeolithic times of Europe and Central Asia. In the book Speaking Australopithecus he argues from the archaeological point of view Benozzo's hypothesis that human language appeared with Australopithecus, between 4 and 3 million years ago.
Christiane Desroches Noblecourt was a French Egyptologist. She was the author of many books on Egyptian art and history and was also known for her role in the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia from flooding caused by the Aswan Dam.
Christiane Eda-Pierre was a French coloratura soprano of Martinican origin, who sang in a wide variety of roles, from baroque to contemporary works.
Catherine Clément is a French philosopher, novelist, feminist, and literary critic, born in Boulogne-Billancourt. She received a degree in philosophy from the École Normale Supérieure, and studied under its faculty Claude Lévi-Strauss and Jacques Lacan, working in the fields of anthropology and psychoanalysis. A member of the school of French feminism and écriture féminine, she has published books with Hélène Cixous and Julia Kristeva.
Grotte du Vallonnet is an archaeological site located near Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, between Monaco and Menton, in France, that was first discovered in 1958. Stone tools found at the site have been dated to between 1 and 1.05 million years old, making it one of the earliest sites of human settlement known in Europe.
Claude Bessy is a French ballerina, ballet master of the Paris Opera Ballet (1970–1971) and director of the Paris Opera Ballet School (1972–2004).
Jacques Friedel ForMemRS was a French physicist and material scientist.
Sylvie Faucheux is a French professor, specializing in the economy of the natural environment and sustainable development. President of the Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University (UVSQ) from 2002 till April 2012, she is the current president of Université du grand ouest parisien, Professor at the French National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts from 2014 until 2017, and was Director of Academic Research and Innovation at the Research Centre of INSEEC from 2017 until 2022.
Jean-Louis Étienne is a French doctor, explorer and scientist. He is well known for his Arctic explorations, where he was the first man to reach the North pole alone in 1986, and his Antarctic explorations, including the famous 1990 International Trans-Antarctica Expedition.
The Ordre national du Mérite is a French order of merit with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic, founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason for the order's establishment was twofold: to replace the large number of ministerial orders previously awarded by the ministries; and to create an award that can be awarded at a lower level than the Legion of Honour, which is generally reserved for French citizens. It comprises about 185,000 members; 306,000 members have been admitted or promoted in 50 years.
Marie-Lise Chanin, is a French geophysicist, aeronomist, director of research emerita at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), and author of works on the physics of the upper and middle atmosphere.
Pierre Truche was a French magistrate. He notably prosecuted Klaus Barbie during his trial in 1987.
Pierre Viot was a French executive. He served as a senior advisor on the French Court of Audit.
Edgard Tupët-Thomé was a French militant. He served in the Free French Forces.
Marc Monchal was a French army general. In addition to his status as an army general, he served as Chief of Staff of the French Army from 17 April 1991 to 27 August 1996 after having been Head of the Minister of Defence's military cabinet from 17 April 1989 to 17 May 1991.
Denis Huisman was a French academic and writer.
Adolphe Steg was a Czechoslovak-born French urologist and Holocaust survivor.
François Meyer was a French military officer who achieved the rank of brigadier general.
Michel Ameller was a French government official. He was a member of the Constitutional Council from 1995 to 2004.
René-Samuel Sirat was a French rabbi who served as Chief Rabbi of France from 1981 to 1988. He was also a director of the Hebrew studies department at the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales.
