France at the Olympics
Sporting event delegation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The modern Olympic Games were founded by French historian Pierre de Coubertin. France has competed in every edition (both Summer and Winter), with the possible exception of the 1904 Games (as sources disagree about whether athlete Albert Corey competed for the United States or France[1][2]).
Ranked 6th
- Gold
- 289
- Silver
- 328
- Bronze
- 360
- Total
- 977
| France at the Olympics | |
|---|---|
| |
| IOC code | FRA |
| NOC | French National Olympic and Sports Committee |
| Website | www |
| Medals Ranked 6th |
|
| Summer appearances | |
| Winter appearances | |
| Other related appearances | |
| 1906 Intercalated Games | |
Through the Paris 2024 Games, French athletes had won 815 medals at the Summer Olympic Games in a wide variety of sports, achieving particular success in fencing, cycling and judo. France has won an additional 138 medals at the Winter Olympic Games, notably in alpine skiing and biathlon.
Several French athletes have left a significant mark on Olympic history. Biathlete Martin Fourcade holds the national record for Olympic titles with six gold medals, followed by judoka Teddy Riner and fellow biathlete Quentin Fillon Maillet, each with five gold medals. The record for the most total Olympic medals by a French athlete is held by Fillon Maillet, who won nine medals overall between 2022 and 2026. Fillon Maillet is followed by fencers Philippe Cattiau and Roger Ducret, each with eight medals earned during the 1920s and 1930s. Fourcade and Riner follow closely with seven medals each, and are trailed by fellow fencing legends Lucien Gaudin, Christian d'Oriola, and Philippe Riboud, who each amassed six medals over their Olympic careers.
Hosted Games
In June 1894, during the first Olympic Congress in Paris, on the initiative of Pierre de Coubertin, it was decided to resume the Olympic Games and to found the IOC. In 1900, Paris hosted the second modern Summer Olympic Games, which took place as part of the World Exhibition. The Olympics were held there in Paris a second time in 1924 and a third time in 2024. This makes Paris, together with London, the current record city host, to which Los Angeles will also be added with its third hosting of the Summer Olympics in 2028. In total, France has hosted the Olympic games on six occasions and is scheduled to host a seventh with the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.
| Games | Host city | Dates | Nations | Participants | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Summer Olympics | Paris | 14 May – 28 October | 24 | 997 | 95 |
| 1924 Winter Olympics | Chamonix | 25 January – 4 February | 16 | 258 | 16 |
| 1924 Summer Olympics | Paris | 5 – 27 July | 44 | 3,089 | 126 |
| 1968 Winter Olympics | Grenoble | 6 – 18 February | 37 | 1,158 | 35 |
| 1992 Winter Olympics | Albertville | 8 – 23 February | 64 | 1,801 | 57 |
| 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris | 26 July – 11 August | 206 | 10,714 | 329 |
| 2030 Winter Olympics | French Alps | 1 – 17 February | TBC | TBC | TBC |
Overview of Olympic participation
Medals by Summer Games
Host country
| Games | Athletes | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1896 Athens | 13 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 4 |
 1900 Paris | 491 | 27 | 39 | 37 | 103 | 1 |
 1904 St. Louis | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
 1908 London | 363 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 4 |
 1912 Stockholm | 119 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 5 |
 1920 Antwerp | 304 | 9 | 19 | 13 | 41 | 8 |
| 1924 Paris | 401 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 38 | 3 |
 1928 Amsterdam | 255 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 21 | 7 |
| 1932 Los Angeles | 103 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 3 |
 1936 Berlin | 201 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 19 | 5 |
| 1948 London | 316 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 29 | 3 |
 1952 Helsinki | 245 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 7 |
 1956 Melbourne | 137 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 11 |
 1960 Rome | 238 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 25 |
 1964 Tokyo | 138 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 15 | 21 |
 1968 Mexico City | 200 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 6 |
 1972 Munich | 227 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 17 |
 1976 Montreal | 206 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 15 |
 1980 Moscow | 121 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 8 |
| 1984 Los Angeles | 238 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 28 | 12 |
 1988 Seoul | 266 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 9 |
 1992 Barcelona | 350 | 8 | 5 | 16 | 29 | 9 |
| 1996 Atlanta | 299 | 15 | 7 | 15 | 37 | 5 |
| 2000 Sydney | 336 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 38 | 6 |
 2004 Athens | 308 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 33 | 7 |
 2008 Beijing | 323 | 7 | 16 | 20 | 43 | 10 |
| 2012 London | 330 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 35 | 7 |
 2016 Rio de Janeiro | 401 | 10 | 18 | 14 | 42 | 7 |
| 2020 Tokyo | 385 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 33 | 8 |
 2024 Paris | 573 | 16 | 26 | 22 | 64 | 5 |
| 2028 Los Angeles | future event | |||||
| 2032 Brisbane | ||||||
| Total (30/30) | 7,888 | 239 | 278 | 299 | 816 | 5 |
Medals by Winter Games
Host country
| Games | Athletes | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 Chamonix | 43 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
 1928 St. Moritz | 38 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 1932 Lake Placid | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen | 28 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1948 St. Moritz | 36 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
 1952 Oslo | 26 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1960 Squaw Valley | 26 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
 1964 Innsbruck | 24 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 5 |
| 1968 Grenoble | 75 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 3 |
| 1972 Sapporo | 40 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 16 |
| 1976 Innsbruck | 35 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| 1980 Lake Placid | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
 1984 Sarajevo | 32 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| 1988 Calgary | 68 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| 1992 Albertville | 109 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 7 |
| 1994 Lillehammer | 98 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 17 |
| 1998 Nagano | 106 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 13 |
| 2002 Salt Lake City | 114 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 6 |
| 2006 Turin | 82 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 10 |
| 2010 Vancouver | 108 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 11 |
 2014 Sochi | 116 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 10 |
| 2018 Pyeongchang | 106 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 9 |
| 2022 Beijing | 86 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 10 |
| 2026 Milano Cortina | 160 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 6 |
| 2030 French Alps | future event | |||||
| 2034 Utah | future event | |||||
| Total (25/25) | 1,618 | 50 | 50 | 61 | 161 | 11 |
 |
 |
Medals by summer sport
| Sport | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Fencing | 45 | 47 | 38 | 130 |
 Cycling | 44 | 29 | 29 | 102 |
 Judo | 18 | 15 | 34 | 67 |
 Equestrian | 15 | 16 | 14 | 45 |
 Sailing | 15 | 15 | 21 | 51 |
 Athletics | 13 | 28 | 30 | 71 |
 Swimming | 12 | 17 | 21 | 50 |
 Shooting | 9 | 13 | 9 | 31 |
 Canoeing | 9 | 11 | 19 | 39 |
 Weightlifting | 9 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
 Rowing | 8 | 15 | 13 | 36 |
 Archery | 7 | 12 | 8 | 27 |
 Boxing | 6 | 11 | 11 | 28 |
 Tennis | 5 | 6 | 8 | 19 |
 Wrestling | 4 | 4 | 10 | 18 |
 Handball | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
 Gymnastics | 3 | 10 | 9 | 22 |
 Croquet | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
 Volleyball | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
 Taekwondo | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
 Rugby | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
 Football | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
 Triathlon | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
 Water polo | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
 Surfing | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
 Karate | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Water motorsports | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Basketball | 0 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
 Modern pentathlon | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
 Table tennis | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
 3x3 basketball | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Breaking | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Diving | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Artistic swimming | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Marathon swimming | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (35 entries) | 239 | 277 | 299 | 815 |
Medals by winter sport
| Sport | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Biathlon | 19 | 12 | 14 | 45 |
 Alpine skiing | 16 | 18 | 18 | 52 |
 Figure skating | 5 | 3 | 7 | 15 |
 Snowboarding | 4 | 5 | 5 | 14 |
 Freestyle skiing | 3 | 6 | 7 | 16 |
 Nordic combined | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
 Ski mountaineering | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
 Cross-country skiing | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
 Bobsleigh | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Curling | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Military patrol | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Ski jumping | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (12 entries) | 50 | 50 | 61 | 161 |
*Military patrol is considered to be the precursor to biathlon,[3] however the official website of the Olympic Movement designates military patrol as a separate discipline.[4][5] The Official Report of the 1924 Games regards it as an event within the sport of skiing.[6][7]
Best results in non-medaling sports:
Summary by summer sport
Aquatics
Artistic Swimming
France's only artistic swimming medal came in the Women's duet at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
| Games | Swimmers | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Sydney | 9 | 2/2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Diving
France's only diving medal came in the women's three-metre springboard in 1952.
| Games | Divers | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 Helsinki | 4 | 4/4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Swimming
France first competed in swimming at the Paris 1900 Games, with 47 swimmers, taking five medals, including one Gold.
| Games | Swimmers | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 47 | 7/7 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 1932 | 5 | 5/11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1948 | 17 | 11/11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1952 | 16 | 11/11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1964 | 16 | 8/18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1968 | 16 | ?/29 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1984 | 16 | 15/29 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1988 | 25 | 29/31 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1992 | 25 | 25/31 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 2000 | 19 | 22/32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 | 21 | 23/32 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 2008 | 35 | 27/34 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 2012 | 31 | 24/34 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 2016 | 30 | 24/34 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2020 | 28 | 28/37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 33 | 30/37 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Total | 12 | 17 | 22 | 51 |
Water Polo
France was a winner of 1924 tournament, and have twice more finished third.
| Games | Water polo players | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris | 11 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1924 Paris | 11 | 1/1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1928 Amsterdam | 9 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Archery
France competed in archery in its first Olympic appearance in Paris 1900. The French team there took 13 of the 20 medals, including gold in 4 of the 7 events.
| Games | Archers | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 129 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 1 |
| 1904 | Did not compete | ||||||
| 1908 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 1912 | No competition | ||||||
| 1920 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| 1924-1968 | Did not compete | ||||||
| 1972 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 1976 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 1980 | Did not compete | ||||||
| 1984 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 1988 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 1992 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1996 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2000 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2004 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2008 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 2012 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2016 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 2020 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2024 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 7 | 12 | 8 | 27 | 4 | ||
Athletics
France first competed in athletics at the inaugural 1896 Games, winning a silver and a bronze. The nation's first gold medal in the sport is a disputed one; Michel Théato was Luxembourgish but living in Paris; his win in the 1900 marathon is credited to France by the International Olympic Committee, which rejected a petition by Luxembourg to change the Olympic record of Théato's nationality.[8]
Basque pelota
In the only appearance of basque pelota as a medal sport at the Olympics in 1900, the French team (one of only two teams to enter) withdrew shortly before the competition started, and the match was not played. The Spanish pair is credited with the gold medal.[9][10]
| Games | Players | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris | 2 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cricket
France is one of two nations to have competed in the only Olympic cricket competition, in 1900. The French team lost to a British team, taking second place.
| Games | Players | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris | 12 | 1/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Croquet
France was the only nation to compete in the only Olympic croquet competitions, in 1900.
| Games | Players | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris | 10 | 3/3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| Total | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
Cycling
France first competed in cycling in 1896, winning four of the six cycling events—all of the events which France contested. France has won more gold medals (41) and total medals (91) in the sport than any other nation.
Equestrian
France has won the third-most gold medals and fourth-most total medals in equestrian sports. The nation hosted the first equestrian events in Paris 1900, winning gold medals in two of the five events.
| Games | Riders | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 39 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| 1912 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 1920 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 1924 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 1928 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 1932 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 1936 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1948 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |
| 1952 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| 1956 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| 1960 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 1964 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1968 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | |
| 1972 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| 1976 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
| 1980 | Did not compete | ||||||
| 1984 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 1988 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 1992 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 1996 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | |
| 2000 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2004 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2008 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2012 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2016 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 2020 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 2024 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Total | 15 | 16 | 14 | 45 | 3 | ||
Fencing
France has won the second-most gold medals and second-most total medals in fencing, in each case behind Italy.
| Year | Fencers | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 1900 | 211 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 1 |
| 1904 | Did not compete | ||||||
| 1908 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 1912 | Did not compete | ||||||
| 1920 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| 1924 | 24 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 1928 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 1932 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 1936 | 19 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 1948 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 1952 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 1956 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| 1960 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 1964 | 20 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 1968 | 20 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1972 | 19 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 1976 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 1980 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| 1984 | 20 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 3 |
| 1988 | 19 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 1992 | 20 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| 1996 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 3 |
| 2000 | 16 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 2004 | 19 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| 2008 | 17 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 2012 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 15 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2020 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| 2024 | 18 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Total | 45 | 47 | 38 | 130 | 2 | ||
Football
France competed in the first men's Olympic football "tournament", winning one match and losing another to earn a second place finish currently recognized as a silver medal performance. The nation was a frequent competitor from then through 1996, peaking with a gold medal win in 1984. France did not qualify for the men's tournament from 2000 to 2016, but has qualified for the 2020 Games.
France did not qualify for the first four women's tournaments from 1996 to 2008. The French women debuted in 2012, placing 4th, and followed that with a 5th-place finish in 2016.
| Games | Players | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris | 13 | 1/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1984 Los Angeles | 17 | 1/1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 Paris | 18 | 2/2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Golf
France competed in the first Olympic golf tournaments in 1900, which the nation hosted. The French golfers' best results that year were 4th place for the women and 10th place for the men. France did not compete in the 1904 golf tournaments. When the sport returned to the Olympics in 2016, France had two men and two women compete; the best result was Grégory Bourdy's 21st-place finish.
| Games | Fencers | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris | 7 | 2/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | 4 | 2/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gymnastics
France had one gymnast participate in one event in the inaugural 1896 Games. The nation's first medals in the sport came when Paris hosted the Games in 1900; the only event on the schedule was the men's individual all-around, in which France swept the top 18 places (having 108 of the 135 competing gymnasts).
| Games | Gymnasts | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 Athens | 1 | 1/8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1900 Paris | 108 | 1/1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Total | 3 | 10 | 9 | 22 |
Polo
France competed at two of the five editions of Olympic polo tournaments, both occasions when Paris hosted the Games in 1900 and 1924. The nation is formally credited with no medals, though French players competed on a mixed team in 1900 (along with a British player) that took bronze. France had a fully-French team as well in 1900, which took fifth place. Both the all-French and the mixed team went 0–1 (losing to the same team), with the mixed team placed higher due to a bye. The French team in 1924 went 0–4 in the round-robin tournament. Thus, the overall Olympic record of teams with French polo players is 0–6.
| Games | Players | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris | 7 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[11] |
| 1924 Paris | 5 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[11] |
Rowing
France hosted the inaugural Olympic rowing contests in Paris 1900. France won 2 of the 5 gold medals, and a French boy served as cox in the final for the otherwise Dutch team that won the coxed pair.
| Games | No. Sailors | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 Athens | Event wasn't held | ||||||
| 1900 Paris | 59 | (21)/5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| 1904 St Louis | 0 | 0/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1908 London | 0 | 0/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1912 Stockholm | 19 | (3)/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1916 | Games Cancelled | ||||||
| 1920 Antwerp | 14 | 3/5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 1924 Paris | 26 | 7/7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 1928 Amsterdam | 26 | 7/7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| 1932 Los Angeles | 5 | 2/7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9= |
| 1936 Berlin | 20 | 5/7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 1940 | Games Cancelled | ||||||
| 1944 | Games Cancelled | ||||||
| 1948 London | 22 | 6/7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1952 Helsinki | 17 | 6/7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 1956 Melbourne | 14 | 2/7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8= |
| 1960 Rome | 16 | 3/7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6= |
| 1964 Tokyo | 23 | 5/7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7= |
| 1968 Mexico City | 16 | 5/7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1972 Munich | 18 | 4/7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1976 Montreal | 14 | 5/14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1980 | 16 | 6/14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1984 Los Angeles | 23 | 6/14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1988 | 12 | 5/14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1992 Barcelona | 25 | 8/14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1996 Atlanta | 21 | 8/14 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| 2000 Sydney | 19 | 8/14 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2004 Athens | 21 | 6/14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5= |
| 2008 Beijing | 21 | 8/14 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2012 London | 14 | 5/14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11= |
| 2016 Rio | 18 | 7/14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 2020 Tokyo | 12 | 5/14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 2024 Paris | 4 | 2/14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 515 | 264 | 9 | 15 | 13 | 37 | 12 |
Rugby
France hosted the inaugural Olympic rugby union contest in 1900, winning the gold medal over Germany and Great Britain. France did not play in 1908, but returned in 1920 (losing the single match to the United States) and 1924 (beating Romania but losing again to the United States).
With the return of rugby, in the form of rugby sevens, in 2016, France competed again. France had both men's and women's teams in 2016; both advanced out of pool play to the quarterfinals but were defeated there.
| Games | Players | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris | 17 | 1/1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1920 Antwerp | 15 | 1/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1924 Paris | 30 | 1/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | 25 | 2/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Sailing
France hosted the first Olympic sailing competitions in 1900, earning 24 total medals in the 13 events, including 5 golds.
| Games | No. Sailors | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 451 | 130/13 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 24 | 1 |
| 1908 | 3 | 1/4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 1912 | 3 | 1/4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 1920 | 3 | 1/14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 1924 | 9 | 3/3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 1928 | 13 | 3/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 1932 | 3 | 2/4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 1936 | 14 | 4/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1948 | 17 | 5/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1952 | 9 | 4/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1956 | 8 | 4/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1960 | 11 | 5/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1964 | 3 | 2/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1968 | 9 | 4/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1972 | 11 | 5/6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1976 | 10 | 5/6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1980 | 0 | 0/6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1984 | 11 | 6/7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 1988 | 13 | 7/8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 1992 | 17 | 10/10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1996 | 13 | 8/10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 12 | 7/11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 18 | 11/11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 2008 | 18 | 11/11 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| 2012 | 16 | 10/10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 2016 | 15 | 10/10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 2020 | 14 | 9/10 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| 2024 | 14 | 10/10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8= |
| Total | 738 | 278 / 205 | 15 | 15 | 21 | 51 | 4 |
Shooting
France competed in shooting at the inaugural 1896 Games, with one shooter in one event, winning no medals. The nation's first medals came when France hosted the Games in 1900, with 3 golds and 10 total medals that year.
| Games | Shooters | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 Athens | 1 | 1/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1900 Paris | 37 | 9/9 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| Total | 9 | 14 | 10 | 33 |
Tennis
France first competed in tennis at the inaugural 1896 Games, with one player competing in men's singles and losing in the first round.
| Games | Athletes | Events | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 Athens | 1 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1900 Paris | 14 | 4/4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2[12] |
| Total | 5 | 6 | 8 | 19 |