Biography.guide
Home › People › Journalist › Jean d'Ormesson
Portrait of Jean d'Ormesson

Jean d'Ormesson

1925 – 2017

French novelist

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Jean d'Ormesson

Lived 1925 – 2017 (aged 92). Jean d'Ormesson was a French journalist and writer.

Jean Bruno Wladimir François-de-Paule Lefèvre d'Ormesson (; 16 June 1925 – 5 December 2017) was a French writer and novelist. He authored forty books, was the director of Le Figaro from 1974 to 1977, as well as the dean of the Académie Française, to which he was elected in 1973, until his death, in addition to his service as president of the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences within UNESCO (1992–1997). A major public figure in France, known for his art de la conversation, Jean d'Ormesson was saluted as "the best of the French spirit" by President Emmanuel Macron upon his death.

Early life Jean d'Ormesson was born on 16 June 1925 in Paris into an aristocratic family; he was a count. His father, André Lefèvre, Marquis of Ormesson, was the French ambassador to Brazil. He also spent time at the Château de Saint-Fargeau. He was raised as a Roman Catholic, and later called himself a secular Catholic, but not an atheist.

D'Ormesson attended preparatory school at the Lycée Henri-IV, and he was admitted to the École normale supérieure; he subsequently passed the agrégation in Philosophy. including novels and plays. while he was still alive.

On 18 October 1973, d'Ormesson was elected a member of the Académie française, taking seat 12, following the death of Jules Romains, in 1973. and an officer of the National Order of Merit.

Personal life and death D'Ormesson married Françoise Béghin in 1962. They had a daughter, Héloïse, an editor. A national tribute was paid on 8 December 2017 in Les Invalides, where French President Emmanuel Macron gave a speech; former presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande were also in attendance.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Lycée Henri-IV, École Normale Supérieure, Cours Hattemer, Lycée Masséna
Positions held
President, General secretary, Seat 12 of the Académie française, Chief executive officer
Employers
Le Figaro, Paris Match, Ouest-France
Awards
Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française; Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour; Commander of the French Order of Academic Palms; Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres‎; Commander of the Order of the Southern Cross; Grand prix Jean-Giono; Officer of the National Order of Merit; Grand prix RTL-Lire; Scanno Prize; Prix Balzac; Prix Combourg-Chateaubriand; Paulée de Meursault Prize

People in Jean d'Ormesson's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jean d'Ormesson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jean d'Ormesson?

French novelist (1925–2017)

When was Jean d'Ormesson born?

Jean d'Ormesson was born on 16 June 1925 in 7th arrondissement of Paris.

When did Jean d'Ormesson die?

Jean d'Ormesson died on 5 December 2017 in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

What was Jean d'Ormesson's occupation?

Jean d'Ormesson was a journalist and writer.

What nationality was Jean d'Ormesson?

Jean d'Ormesson was French.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jean d'Ormesson

· Wikidata: Q353866

· DBpedia: Jean d'Ormesson

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jean d'Ormesson. https://biography.guide/jean-d-ormesson/

MLA: "Jean d'Ormesson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jean-d-ormesson/.

Chicago: "Jean d'Ormesson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jean-d-ormesson/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:23 UTC