Discover

The 'Académie Goncourt' is a literary organization based in Paris, France that was founded in 1900 in accordance with the wishes of French writer and publisher Edmond de Goncourt (1822-1896), and in opposition to the then existing policies towards writers by the Académie française.
Wishing to honor his deceased brother Jules (1830-1870), de Goncourt named his friend Alphonse Daudet to oversee his estate that he bequeathed for the establishment of an organization to promote literature in France. Each December since 1903, a ten-member Board of the Académie has awarded the Prix Goncourt for the best work of fiction of the year.
Membership is reserved to writers who have produced works in the French language but it is not limited to citizens of France. In 1996 the Spanish novelist and scriptwriter Jorge Semprun became the first foreigner to become a member of the academy.
In addition to the Prix Goncourt, which comes with a symbolic cheque of 10 Euros, the Goncourt academy is also responsible for awarding 5 ''bourses'' of a more substantial nature.
The ten members of the academy are usually called ''les dix'', and they meet the first Tuesday of each month, except in summer. Since 1914 they have convened in an oval room, the ''salon Goncourt'' on the second floor of the Drouant restaurant in the heart of Paris. The cutlery or tableware that they use while meeting and dining at the restaurant constitutes the main physical continuity of the academy. Each new member receives the fork and knife of the member which he (or she) is replacing, and a new name is then added on the knife and the fork.
The cooking is reported to be excellent.

Contents

Current Members

Academicians by seat

1st Seat

2nd Seat

3rd Seat

4th Seat

5th Seat

6th Seat

7th Seat

8th Seat

9th Seat

10th Seat

Current Members

★ François Nourissier, elected 1977; secrétaire général 1983, président 1996-2002

★ Daniel Boulanger, elected 1983

★ Robert Sabatier, elected 1971

★ Françoise Mallet-Joris, elected November 1971

★ Didier Decoin, elected 1995; currently secrétaire général

★ Edmonde Charles-Roux, elected September 1983; présidente since February 2002

★ Jorge Semprún, elected 1996

★ Michel Tournier, elected 1972

★ Françoise Chandernagor, elected June 1995

★ Bernard Pivot, elected October 2004

Academicians by seat

1st Seat

★ 1900-1942 : Léon Daudet

★ 1942-1944 : Jean de La Varende

★ 1944-1954 : Colette

★ 1954-1970 : Jean Giono

★ 1971-1977 : Bernard Clavel

★ 1977-2004 : André Stil

★ since 2004 : Bernard Pivot

2nd Seat

★ 1900-1907 : Joris-Karl Huysmans

★ 1907-1910 : Jules Renard

★ 1910-1917 : Judith Gautier

★ 1918-1924 : Henry Céard

★ 1924-1939 : Pol Neveux

★ 1939-1948 : Sacha Guitry

★ 1949-1983 : Armand Salacrou

★ since 1983 : Edmonde Charles-Roux

3rd Seat

★ 1900-1917 : Octave Mirbeau

★ 1917-1947 : Jean Ajalbert

★ 1947-1973 : Alexandre Arnoux

★ 1973-1995 : Jean Cayrol

★ since 1995 : Didier Decoin

4th Seat

★ 1900-1940 : J.-H. Rosny aîné

★ 1940-1942 : Pierre Champion

★ 1943-1971 : André Billy

★ since 1971 : Robert Sabatier

5th Seat

★ 1900-1948 : Justin Rosny jeune

★ 1948-1967 : Gérard Bauër

★ 1967-1968 : Louis Aragon

★ 1969-1983 : Armand Lanoux

★ since 1983 : Daniel Boulanger

6th Seat

★ 1900-1935 : Léon Hennique

★ 1936-1950 : Léo Larguier

★ 1951-1977 : Raymond Queneau

★ since 1977 : François Nourissier

7th Seat

★ 1900-1918 : Paul Margueritte

★ 1919-1923 : Émile Bergerat

★ 1924-1937 : Raoul Ponchon

★ 1938-1948 : René Benjamin

★ 1949-1971 : Philippe Hériat

★ since 1972 : Michel Tournier

8th Seat

★ 1900-1926 : Gustave Geffroy

★ 1926-1929 : Georges Courteline

★ 1929-1973 : Roland Dorgelès

★ 1973-1995 : Emmanuel Roblès

★ since 1995 : Françoise Chandernagor

9th Seat

★ 1900-1925 : Élémir Bourges

★ 1926-1937 : Gaston Chérau

★ 1937-1958 : Francis Carco

★ 1958-1996 : Hervé Bazin

★ since 1996 : Jorge Semprun

10th Seat

★ 1900-1949 : Lucien Descaves

★ 1950-1970 : Pierre Mac Orlan

★ since 1970 : Françoise Mallet-Joris