For more than 2,000 years, Burgundy has been home to countless extraordinary people who have lived, worked and created there. You have probably heard of many of these historical or contemporary celebrities; but did you know that they were born in Burgundy or had adopted it as their homeland?
Kings, military leaders and political figures
Before becoming the region that it is today, Burgundy was first a kingdom, then a duchy and later a French province during the Ancien Régime. Long before, Celtic aristocrats had built fortresses to control trade routes, thus establishing their power. Find out about the men and women whose fame has spread well beyond Burgundy's ever-changing borders.
The Lady of Vix († circa 525 BC), a Celtic aristocrat
Dumnorix (active circa 50 BC), a chieftain of the Aedui who opposed Julius Caesar
Julius Sacrovir († 21 AD), a leader of the Aedui in the last Gallic revolt
Gondebaud (before 455-516), King of the Burgundians
Brunhilda of Austrasia (circa 457-613), Queen of the Franks and Regent of Burgundy
Philip the Bold (1342-1404), Duke of Burgundy
John the Fearless (1371-1419), Duke of Burgundy
Philip the Good (1396-1467), Duke of Burgundy
Charles the Bold (1433-1477), Duke of Burgundy
Nicolas Rolin (1376-1461), Chancellor to Philip the Good and founder of the Hospices de Beaune
Roger de Rabutin (1618-1693), Count of Bussy and Lieutenant-General to King Louis XIV's armies
Anne Marie Louise of Orléans, known as La Grande Mademoiselle (1627-1693), Duchess of Saint-Fargeau of which she rebuilt the castle
Sébastien Le Prestre, Marquis de Vauban (1633-1707), born in Saint-Léger-Vauban, a military engineer in charge of fortifications and Marshal of France
Charles de Beaumont, known as the Knight of Eon (1728-1810), born in Tonnerre, a French author, diplomat and spy
Lazare Carnot, known as "Grand Carnot" (1753-1823), born in Nolay, a French general nicknamed "the Victory Organiser" in revolutionary wars
Louis Antoine Léon de Saint-Just (1767-1794), a French politician who played a major role in the Revolution, born in Decize; he inspired the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1793
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), Emperor of the French, studied in Autun (1779) and at the Royal School of Artillery in Auxonne (1788-1789)
Louis-Nicolas Davout (1770-1823), Duke of Auerstaedt and Marshal of the Empire, born in Annoux (Yonne)
Auguste-Frédéric-Louis Viesse de Marmont (1774-1852), Marshal of the Empire, born in Châtillon-sur-Seine
Claude-Philibert Barthelot, count of Rambuteau (1781-1869), born in Mâcon, a prefect of the Seine who undertook the transformation of Paris, improved and completed by Haussmann.
Alphonse de Lamartine (1790-1869), born in Mâcon, a French author and politician.
Jean-Baptiste-Philibert Vaillant (1790-1869), born in Dijon, Marshal of France
Patrice de Mac-Mahon, Duke of Magenta (1808-1893), Marshal of France and President of France
Paul Bert (1833-1886), born in Auxerre, a French physiologist and politician
Sadi Carnot (1837-1894), grandson of Lazare Carnot and nephew of Sadi Carnot, a physicist and President of France; he initiated the restoration of the Château de la Rochepot
Canon Félix Kir (1876-1968), a church man and MP and mayor of Dijon; he initiated many twinning projects and popularized a cocktail named "Kir" after him, a mix of blackcurrant liqueur and Bourgogne aligoté white wine
François Mitterrand (1916-1996), mayor of Château-Chinon, President of the Nièvre department council and President of France
Pierre Bérégovoy (1925-1993), mayor of Nevers, Prime Minister
Lucie Aubrac (1912-2007), a French resistance fighter during the German occupation and Vichy regime of World War II, from the Mâcon-Cluny region
A religious past
On the lands of the Aeduis, the Senones and the Lingones (Gallic and Celtic peoples) appeared some of the first dioceses in Gaul. In the time of the Dukes of Burgundy, two of the most important monastic orders originated in Burgundy, at Cluny and Cîteaux Abbeys. Burgundy still asserts its spiritual vocation, with the Taizé community, which was founded by Frère Roger Schütz and attracts 100,000 young people per year.
Diviciacus (1st century BC), an Aedui, the only historically documented druid known by name
Germanus of Auxerre (around 380-448), Bishop of Auxerre and saint
Germain of Paris (496-576), Abbot of Saint-Symphorien of Autun, Bishop of Paris, founder of the abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and a saint
Léger († circa 677/678), Bishop of Autun and martyr
Benedict of Aniane (circa 750-821), a Visigoth nobleman, monk in Saint-Seine-l'Abbaye, who became an advisor to Louis the Pious on monastic reform in the Carolingian Empire
William of Volpiano (962-1031), a Benedictine monk who significantly contributed to propagating the Cluniac reform and initiated the building of the rotunda of Saint Benignus' Abbey in Dijon and saint
Berno of Cluny (circa 850-927), a Benedictine monk, founder of Cluny Abbey and saint
Odo of Cluny (circa 879-942), a Benedictine monk, 2nd Abbot of Cluny and saint; he invented alphabetic musical notation
Majolus of Cluny (circa 910-994), a Benedictine monk, 4th Abbot of Cluny, saint and builder of the abbey church of Cluny (Cluny II)
Odilo of Cluny (circa 962-1048), a Benedictine monk, 5thAbbot of Cluny, saint, main instigator of the religious empire of Cluny.
Hugh of Cluny (1024-1109), a Benedictine monk, 6th Abbot of Cluny, saint, builder of the Maior Ecclesia (Cluny III) and mediator at the Canossa meeting, a driving force in the European expansion of the Cluniac order
Robert of Molesme (circa 1029-1111), a Benedictine monk and founder of the Molesme Abbey and Cîteaux Abbey, saint
Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), son of the lord of Fontaine-les-Dijon, a Cictercian abbot, saint, Doctor of the Church, instrumental in the expansion of the Cistercian order in the 12th century
Peter of Montboissier, also known as Peter the Venerable (circa 1092 and 1094-1156), a Benedictine monk, 9th Abbot of Cluny, saint; welcomed Peter Abelard in Cluny in his later years
Thomas Becket (1117-1178), Archbishop of Canterbury exiled in Sens and Pontigny in Burgundy and a martyr
Edmund Rich of Abingdon (1170-1242), Archbishop of Canterbury, exiled in Sens and Pontigny in Burgundy and a saint
Henri Sanglier († 1142), Archbishop of Sens from 1122 to 1142, initiated the construction of the first Gothic cathedral in France
Theodore Beza (1519-1605), a Protestant theologian born in Vézelay, successor of John Calvin in Geneva
Jeanne-Françoise Frémiot, known as Jane Frances de Chantal, Baroness of Chantal (1572-1641), born in Dijon, the founder of the Order of the Visitation and a saint
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet (1627-01704), born in Dijon, Bishop of Meaux, a great orator and tutor to the Dauphin
Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), a nun and mystic in the Visitation order in Paray-le-Monial, who inspired worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a saint
Anne-Marie Javouhey (1779 -1851), founder of the congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny, known as the Liberator of the Slaves, born near Seurre
Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779 -1865), the founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart, dedicated to the education of young women and a saint, born in Joigny
Henri-Dominique Lacordaire (1802-1861), an ecclesiastic, journalist and political activist; re-established the Dominican Order and precursor of liberal Catholicism
Catherine Labouré (1806-1876), born in Fain-les-Moutiers in the Auxois region, a visionary nun of the Daughters of Charity who created a medal decorated with the 12 stars later used on the European flag
Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879), the "small visionary" of Lourdes, a nun at the convent of the Sisters of Charity in Nevers and saint
Roger Schütz, known as Brother Roger (1915-2005), founder of the Taizé Community, an ecumenical monastic community
Lucie Aubrac (1912-2007), a French resistant during the German occupation and Vichy regime during World War II, from the Mâcon-Cluny region
Painters, sculptors and musicians
From Romanesque churches to the court of the Dukes of Valois, from the Renaissance to the Romantics and contemporary art, Burgundian artists have created many a masterpiece; and the music of composers such as Jean-Philippe Rameau is not played only in Burgundy!
Gislebertus (12th century), sculpted (or maybe commissioned) the great tympanum in the Autun Cathedral, the Temptation of Eve (Musée Rolin) and many capitals
Martin (active circa 1170), sculpted Lazarus' monumental tomb in the Autun Cathedral (today Musée Rolin)
Claus de Werve (1380-1439), a sculptor, disciple and successor to his uncle Claus Sluter
Juan de la Huerta (1413-1462), a sculptor and adventurer from Aragon, successor to Claus de Werve
Antoine Le Moiturier (1425-1480), a sculptor from Avignon who finished the tomb of John the Fearless, abandoned by Juan de la Herta
Jean Cousin the Elder (circa 1490 or 1500-after 1560), a French painter, draughtsman, decorator and engraver from the Renaissance, born in the Sens region
Jean Cousin the Younger (1522-1594), a painter, son and successor to the Elder, born in Sens
Hugues Sambin (circa 1520-1601), a French carpenter, wood-worker and sculptor, hydraulic engineer and architect
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764), a French composer and music theorist, from Dijon
Claude Balbastre (1724-1799), a French organist, harpsichordist and composer, author of popular Christmas carols and variations on revolutionary songs, from Dijon
Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805), a French painter and designer from Tournus
Pierre Paul Prud’hon (1758-1823), a Romantic French painter and designer, from Cluny
François Rude (1784-1855), a 19th-century French sculptor; bridged the gap between Neoclassicism and Romanticism. This Romantic master sculpted La Marseillaise also known as Départ des Volontaires in 1792, on the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, Paris
Sophie Rude (1797-1867), a French painter, wife of François Rude
Paul Cabet (1815-1876), a French sculptor, nephew of the Rudes
Félix Ziem (1821-1911), a French painter from the Barbizon School, renowned for his scenes of Venice and Constantinople, a precursor of Impressionism, born in Beaune
François Pompon (1855-1933), a French sculptor renowned for his animal sculptures with simple shapes and polished surfaces, born in Saulieu
Edouard Vuillard (1868-1940), born in Cuiseaux, a French painter, founding member of the Nabis
Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, known as Balthus (1908-2001), a French figurative painter originally from Poland who lived in the Morvan region for about ten years.
Yan Pei-Ming, born in 1960, a Chinese painter and sculptor who lives in Dijon, mostly known for his oversized portraits
Science and technology geniuses
From fortifications to canals, from thermodynamics to the conquest of space, many Burgundians have engraved their name in the history of science and technology, alongside that of the symbolic figure of Nicéphore Niépce, the inventor of the most popular art today: photography.
Sébastien Le Prestre, Marquis de Vauban (1633-1707), born in Saint-Léger-Vauban, a military engineer in charge of fortifications and Marshal of France
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Count of Buffon (1707-1788), a French naturalist, mathematician, writer and manufacturer, author of the innovative, monumental Histoire naturelle and creator of the Jardin des Plantes in Paris
Jacques-Germain Soufflot (1713-1780), a great French neoclassical architect who designed the Panthéon, born in Irancy
Emiland Gauthey (1732-1806), born in Chalon-sur-Saône, a French mathematician, civil engineer and architect, engineer of the Estates of Burgundy who designed the Canal du Centre
Jacques Cellerier (1742-1814), a French neoclassic architect who restored the Basilica of Saint-Denis, born in Dijon
Gaspard Monge (1746-1818), born in Beaune, a French mathematician who invented descriptive geometry, a significant figure in the French Revolution and joint creator of the metric system and decimal system of weights and measures, founder of the Ecole normale de l’an III, the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole des Arts et métiers
Sadi Carnot (1796-1832), born in Nolay, the son of Lazare Carnot, physicist, engineer and inventor of thermodynamics
Nicéphore Niépce (1765-1833), the inventor of photography (as well as an internal combustion engine for boats and a type of dandy horse cycle), born in Chalon-sur-Saône
Etienne-Jules Marey (1830-1904), a French physician and physiologist, pioneer of photography and film, born in Beaune
Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923), a French manufacturer and engineer born in Dijon
Hilaire, Count of Chardonnet (1839-1924), who invented artificial silk in Gergy (71)
Faustin Potain (1898-1968), a manufacturer, founder of the Potain crane company in La Clayette
Roger Cuvillier, born in 1922 in Dijon, an optical engineer who invented zoom lenses
Claudie Haigneré (born André-Deshayes) in 1957, a medical researcher and astronaut; the first French woman in space
Noble exponents of the written word
The history of Burgundy has been full of men and women of letters since ancient times. But literary Burgundy also includes colourful characters immortalised by the greatest painters and popular music.
Eumène or Eumenius (260-311), was born and died in Autun, a Roman panegyrist, secretary of Emperor Constantius Chlorus and director of the Autun schools (the most renowned in Gaul)
Heiric of Auxerre (841-circa 876), a Benedictine monk, poet and scholar, teacher at the school of the St. Germanus of Auxerre Abbey and first theorist of the three orders of the medieval society
Rodulfus Glaber (985-circa 1047), a monk in Saint-Bénigne of Dijon, first in Cluny and then in Auxerre and one the major chronicler of the year 1000 period
Jacques Amyot (1513-1553), master of the King's library, Bishop of Auxerre and a major Renaissance translator, from both Greek and Latin
Pontus de Tyard (1521-1605), born in Bissy-sur-Fley, Bishop of Chalon-sur-Saône, a poet member of "La Pléiade"
Guy Coquille (1523-1603), born in Decize, general prosecutor for the duchy of Nevers, a jurisconsult, poet and theorist of absolute monarchy
Guillaume des Autels (1529-circa 1580), born in the Charolles region, a French poet and critic associated with La Pléiade.
Etienne Tabourot (1547-1590), seigneur des Accords, also known as Tabourot des Accords, born in Dijon, a French poet
Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, Marquise de Sévigné (1626-1696), from the Autun region, a French letter-writer
Alexis Piron (1689-1773), a French poet, songwriter and playwright
Charles de Brosses, known as "President de Brosses" (1709-1777), born in Dijon, a French magistrate (first president of the Parliament of Burgundy), historian, linguist and writer
Claude Courtépée (1721-1781), born in Saulieu, a professor at the Collège de Dijon, contributor to Diderot's Encyclopédie, author of Description générale et particulière du Duché de Bourgogne in several volumes, which still is a benchmark today
Nicolas-Edme Rétif, also known as Rétif de la Bretonne (1734-1826), from the Auxerre region, a French printer and writer
Alphonse de Lamartine (1790-1869), a French politician and author (poet, novelist and playwright) who exalted the Mâcon region from his childhood in his poems
Guillaume Joseph Rousselle, known as Cadet Roussel (1743-1807), a bailiff in Auxerre renowned for his eccentricity, inspired the song "Cadet Roussel"
Pierre Larousse (1818-1875), born in Toucy, founder of the Librairie Larousse and Larousse dictionaries
Stéphen Liégeard (1830-1925), born in Dijon, a French writer and poet, who coined the term "Côte d'Azur"; he inspired Alphonse Daudet for his character "sous-préfet aux champs" in Letters from My Windmill
Romain Rolland (1866-1944), born in Clamecy, died in Vézelay, a French author awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1915
Jules Renard (1864-1910), a French author from the Nevers region
Marie Noël (1883-1967), a French poet and writer who lived in Auxerre
Maurice Blondel (1861-1949), a French philosopher born in Dijon
Maurice Genevoix (1890-1980), a French poet-novelist born in Decize
Gabriel Chevalier (1895-1969), a French writer, author of "Clochemerle", a novel inspired from his observations as a trader travelling through the Charolais-Brionnais region
Marcel Aymé (1902-1967), a French playwright and short-story writer born in Joigny
André Frénaud (1907-1993), a poet
Henri Vincenot (1912-1985), a French writer, painter and sculptor who was born in Dijon and died there
Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, also known as Colette (1873-1954), a French novelist from Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye
Christian Zervos (1889-1970), a French art critic and the founder of an art centre in Vézelay
Jules Roy (1907-2000), a French writer who lived in Vézelay for the last twenty years of his life
They're the buzz, in sports and entertainment!
True to its rich heritage, Burgundy is still the centre of attention today. For more than a century, Burgundian artists and athletes have hit the headlines.
Ernest-Théodore Valentin Deschamps (1868-1949), also known as Abbé Deschamps, a priest from Auxerre who founded the AJA (Association de la Jeunesse auxerroise)
Marguerite Monnot (1903-1961), a French pianist and composer of film music and songs and the author (inter alia) of many songs sung by Edith Piaf, from Decize
Edwige Feuillère (1907-1998), a French actress who grew up in Dijon
Jean-Louis Barrault (1910-1974), a French stage actor/director/producer from Tournus
Bernard Thevenet, a French cyclist who won the Tour de France twice, born in 1948 in Saint-Julien-de-Civry (Charolais-Brionnais region), in a hamlet called Le Guidon (literally "the handlebar")
Guy Roux (born in 1938), the former coach of the AJ Auxerre football team
Jean-Paul Rappeneau, a French film director and scriptwriter who was born in Auxerre in 1932
Jean-Pierre Marielle (born in 1932), a French actor
Marlène Jobert (born in 1943), a French actress who studied at the Conservatory of Dijon
Claude Jade (1948-2006), a French actress born in Dijon
Jean-Marc Boivin (1951-1990), a French mountaineer born in Dijon
Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine (born in 1948), a French singer, songwriter and composer who lives in Dijon
Robin Renucci (born in 1956), a French actor and director born in Le Creusot who grew up in Auxerre
Thierry Caens, a French trumpeter who was born (in 1958) in Dijon and currently lives there
Lambert Wilson (born in 1958), a French actor who currently lives in Burgundy
Yves Jamait, a French singer-songwriter who was born in Dijon in 1961
Florent Pagny, a French singer and actor who was born in Chalon-sur-Saône in 1961
Pascal Lavanchy (born in 1968), an ice dancer from the sports centre CPH Dijon, the partner of Sophie Moniotte (born in 1969), an ice dancer from Dijon
Sonia Rolland (born in 1981), the first Miss Burgundy to be elected Miss France and first Miss France of African origin, grew up in Cluny
Simon Astier, born in 1983 in Dijon where he relocated, a French actor, film director and scriptwriter, primarily known for the TV series Kaamelott directed by his brother Alexandre and his own series Hero Corp of which Season 3 was filmed in Burgundy in 2013
Marine Lorphelin, born in Mâcon in 1993, Miss France 2013 and Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty