🏛️ Classic Literature · France
Best Classic Literature Books from France
Classic literature is the body of work that time has tested and culture has kept. France has produced some of the most internationally recognised works in classic literature, with titles that have appeared on major prize lists and critical surveys worldwide. This page ranks the best classic literature from France by editorial consensus.
#1
literary-fiction
The Stranger
Albert Camus· 1957
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score79/100
#2
literary-fiction
The Plague
Albert Camus· 1947
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score69/100
#3
literary-fiction
Les trois Mousquetaires
Alexandre Dumas· 1844
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#4
literary-fiction
Le rouge et le noir
Stendhal· 1830
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#5
literary-fiction
Vingt ans apres̀
Alexandre Dumas· 1800
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#6
literary-fiction
À la recherche du temps perdu
Marcel Proust· 1919
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#7
adventure
The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas· 1844
Times Literary SupplementALA Notable Books
Editorial Score47/100
#8
literary-fiction
Germinal
Émile Zola· 1885
Times Literary SupplementALA Notable Books
Editorial Score46/100
#9
classic-literature
Les Misérables
Victor Hugo· 1862
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#10
classic-literature
À l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs
Marcel Proust· 1657
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#11
literary-fiction
Salammbô
Gustave Flaubert· 1863
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score45/100
#12
literary-fiction
La tentation de saint Antoine
Gustave Flaubert· 1884
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#13
literary-fiction
Thérèse Raquin
Émile Zola· 1880
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#14
literary-fiction
Les Misérables
Victor Hugo· 1862
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score41/100
#15
classic-literature
Han d'Islande
Victor Hugo· 1800
Notable Work
Editorial Score41/100
#16
literary-fiction
In Search of Lost Time
Marcel Proust· 1913
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score40/100
#17
adventure
The Three Musketeers
Alexandre Dumas· 1844
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score40/100
#18
literary-fiction
Notre-Dame de Paris
Victor Hugo· 1831
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score40/100
#19
literary-fiction
Du côté de chez Swann
Marcel Proust· 1908
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#20
literary-fiction
La chartreuse de Parme
Stendhal· 1800
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#21
literary-fiction
L’étranger
Albert Camus· 1942
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#22
![La dame aux camélias [novel]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2280%22%20height%3D%22120%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2080%20120%22%3E%0A%20%20%3Crect%20width%3D%2280%22%20height%3D%22120%22%20fill%3D%22%2305101a%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Crect%20x%3D%220%22%20y%3D%220%22%20width%3D%226%22%20height%3D%22120%22%20fill%3D%22%233c6e8b%22%20opacity%3D%220.6%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Ctext%20x%3D%2240%22%20y%3D%2250.4%22%20font-family%3D%22Georgia%2Cserif%22%20font-size%3D%2222.400000000000002%22%20font-weight%3D%22700%22%20fill%3D%22%233c6e8b%22%20text-anchor%3D%22middle%22%20dominant-baseline%3D%22middle%22%20opacity%3D%220.9%22%3ELD%3C%2Ftext%3E%0A%20%20%3Ctext%20x%3D%2240%22%20y%3D%2278%22%20font-family%3D%22Arial%2Csans-serif%22%20font-size%3D%227.199999999999999%22%20fill%3D%22%233c6e8b%22%20text-anchor%3D%22middle%22%20dominant-baseline%3D%22middle%22%20opacity%3D%220.55%22%3Efils%3C%2Ftext%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
literary-fiction
La dame aux camélias [novel]
Alexandre Dumas fils· 1848
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#23
literary-fiction
La père Goriot
Honoré de Balzac· 1800
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#24
literary-fiction
Le roman du masque de fer
Alexandre Dumas· 1600
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#25
literary-fiction
À l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs
Marcel Proust· 1657
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#26
literary-fiction
L'Éducation sentimentale
Gustave Flaubert· 1898
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#27
literary-fiction
Trois contes
Gustave Flaubert· 1877
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#28
literary-fiction
Hernani
Victor Hugo· 1830
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#29
literary-fiction
Bouvard et Pécuchet
Gustave Flaubert· 1896
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#30
literary-fiction
La terre
Émile Zola· 1887
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#31
literary-fiction
Ruy Blas
Victor Hugo· 1838
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#32
literary-fiction
Les compagnons de Jehu
Alexandre Dumas· 1858
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#33
literary-fiction
La Femme de trente ans
Honoré de Balzac· 1856
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#34
literary-fiction
Acté
Alexandre Dumas· 1839
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#35
literary-fiction
The Marquise De Brinvilliers
Alexandre Dumas· 1856
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#36
literary-fiction
La fortune des Rougon
Émile Zola· 1875
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#37
classic-literature
Lourdes
Émile Zola· 1894
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#38
classic-literature
Une page d'amour
Émile Zola· 1878
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#39
classic-literature
Novembre
Gustave Flaubert· 1932
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#40
classic-literature
Une année a Florence
Alexandre Dumas· 1850
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#41
classic-literature
Memoirs of an egoist
Stendhal· 1927
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#42
literary-fiction
Nana
Émile Zola· 1880
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score39/100
#43
literary-fiction
The Outsider
Albert Camus· 1942
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score39/100
#44
literary-fiction
Swann's Way
Marcel Proust· 1913
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score38/100
#45
literary-fiction
Red and the Black
Stendhal· 1830
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score38/100
#46
literary-fiction
Nausea
Jean-Paul Sartre· 1938
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score38/100
#47
literary-fiction
Madame Bovary
Gustave Flaubert· 1857
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score37/100
#48
literary-fiction
The Fall
Albert Camus· 1956
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score36/100
#49
literary-fiction
Bouvard and Pécuchet
Gustave Flaubert· 1881
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score35/100
#50
literary-fiction
Ali Pacha
Alexandre Dumas· 2001
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
