The list of individuals appointed or promoted in the civilian class of the Legion of Honour on January 1, 2026, has been published in a decree in the Official Journal. This new class comprises 616 recipients, primarily from civil society, including a majority of individuals unknown to the general public alongside recognized cultural, intellectual, and civic figures.
A national distinction at the heart of republican meritocracy
Created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Legion of Honour remains the highest French national distinction. According to the Grand Chancellery, this year's awards recognize 616 people. "committed to serving the public interest" and embodying "a certain idea of meritocracy and setting an example"The distribution of ranks reflects the traditional structure of the order, with 528 knights, 70 officers, 14 commanders, three grand officers, and one dignitary elevated to the rank of grand cross. France currently has approximately 77,000 members of the Legion of Honour, both civilian and military, according to official figures from the Grand Chancellery.
Boualem Sansal and major cultural figures honored
Among the distinguished figures is the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, named a knight at the age of 81. Imprisoned in Algeria for nearly a year due to certain stances he took on his native country, the author regained his freedom on November 12, after being pardoned by the Algerian president. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, an event widely reported by the international press and organizations defending freedom of expression.
In the artistic field, singer Nolwenn Leroy is also elevated to the rank of knight, as is the comedian and actress Chantal LadesouFrench cinema is represented by Guillaume Canet, Jean-Paul Rouve and Guillaume Gallienne, all decorated with the same rank for their entire career and their contribution to cultural influence.
David Hockney honored
British painter David Hockney, a major figure in pop art and contemporary painting, is also among those honored. Aged 88, he is being decorated as a foreign resident of France. Having settled in Normandy in 2019, the artist left France in 2023 to return to live in London. His work, exhibited in the world's leading museums, has contributed to strengthening cultural exchanges between France and the United Kingdom, as museum institutions such as the Centre Pompidou and the Tate have repeatedly emphasized.
The memory of the attacks is at the heart of this graduating class.
Ten years after the November 13, 2015 attacks in Paris and Saint-Denis, the January 1, 2026 class will recognize for the first time Arthur Denouveaux, president of the association Life for Paris, and Philippe Duperron, president of 13onze15. These two structures play a central role in supporting victims and in the work of remembrance, in connection with public authorities and jurisdictions, particularly during the trial of the attacks.
In addition, three men and three women were decorated through a citizen initiative. This system allows citizens or groups to directly submit nominations to the Grand Chancellery, outside of traditional ministerial channels, in order to highlight exemplary careers often overlooked by institutional networks.
Science and gastronomy honored
The award also recognizes individuals from the worlds of science and gastronomy. The Michelin-starred chef Anne Sophie Pic is promoted to officer, as is the mathematician Michel Talagrand, winner of the 2024 Abel Prize, considered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for mathematics according to the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
The Holocaust survivor Ginette KolinkaA survivor of Auschwitz-Birkenau who has dedicated decades to passing on the memory of the Holocaust to younger generations, she has been promoted to the rank of Commander. Her testimony, widely disseminated in schools and the media, is recognized as a major contribution to the work of remembrance, in line with the missions of the Shoah Memorial.
