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See also: 1960 in France, other events of 1961, 1962 in France.

Events from the year 1961 in France.

Events

• 8 January - French referendum on Algerian self-determination is approved by three-quarters of voters.
• 18 March - A ceasefire takes effect in the Algerian War of Independence.
• 21 April-26 April - Algiers putsch, failed coup d'état attempt organized by four retired French army generals.
• 31 May - Rebel generals Maurice Challe and Andre Zelelr are sentenced to 15 years in prison.
• 31 May - President John F. Kennedy and Charles De Gaulle meet in Paris.
• 17 June - A Paris-to-Strasbourg train derails near Vitry-le-François; 24 are killed, 109 injured.
• 21 September - Organisation armée secrète (OAS) slips an anti-de Gaulle message into TV programming.
• 17 October - Paris massacre, French police attacked an unarmed and peaceful demonstration of some 30,000 Algerians. Government acknowledged 40 deaths in 1998, although there are estimates of up to 200.

Arts and literature

• 4 May - Phenomenological philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty dies, age 53, of a stroke, apparently while preparing for a class on Descartes.

Sport

• 18 June - French Grand Prix won by Giancarlo Baghetti of Italy.
• 25 June - Tour de France begins.
• 19 July - Tour de France ends, won by Jacques Anquetil.

Births

• 15 April — José Anigo, soccer player and sporting director
• 16 May — Solveig Dommartin, actress (d.2007)
• 21 September — Philippe Anziani, soccer player and coach
• September 29 — Jean-Marie Neff, racewalker
• October 9 — Martial Fesselier, racewalker

Deaths

• 4 May - Maurice Merleau-Ponty, phenomenological philosopher (b.1908).
• 1 July - Louis-Ferdinand Céline, writer (b.1894).

References