Alain Decaux, writer and radio man born in 1925, told the history of France to an entire country. From 1969 to 1987 his programme showed him alone before a camera, without notes or archive footage, for an hour at a time. He entered the Académie française in 1979, then served as minister for the French-speaking world from 1988 to 1991. He died in 2016, at ninety.
The story
Born in Lille on 23 July 1925, Alain Decaux wrote at thirteen to the playwright Sacha Guitry, who answered and received him: the friendship lasted until Guitry died.
In 1951 he launched La Tribune de l'Histoire on Paris-Inter. Radio taught him the craft that became his own: telling history aloud, without notes.
La caméra explore le temps, from 1957, then Alain Decaux raconte, from 1969 to 1987, made him the history teller of an entire country — alone in front of a camera, with no archive footage, for a full hour.
He was elected to the Académie française on 15 February 1979 to the ninth seat, succeeding Jean Guéhenno, then served as minister for the French-speaking world from 28 June 1988 to 16 May 1991. He was raised to the rank of Grand-croix of the Légion d'honneur on 1 January 2014.
He died in Paris on 27 March 2016, aged ninety, and rests in Division 10, on the Avenue Latérale Sud, first row, in a family plot that lines up six names.
The grave
A family tomb that lines up six names beneath the heading “Famille DECAUX”: Francis (1888-1958), his wife née Louise Tripez (1896-1983), Mme Bernard Decaux née Monique Vaissière (1926-1975), Mme Madeleine Decaux née Parisy (1918-1995) — and the historian, the only one to bear titles: “Alain DECAUX, de l'Académie française, Ministre de la Francophonie, grand-croix de la Légion d'honneur, 1925-2016” — of the Académie française, Minister for the French-speaking World, Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. The storyteller kept the last word.
On site, do not miss
The inscription is the most talkative in the family grave: “Alain DECAUX, de l'Académie française, Ministre de la Francophonie, grand-croix de la Légion d'honneur, 1925-2016”. Five other Decaux surround him, without titles.
Visitors' questions
Where is Alain Decaux's grave?
In Division 10, avenue Latérale Sud, first row, in a family grave of six names. His own lists his titles: “de l'Académie française, Ministre de la Francophonie, grand-croix de la Légion d'honneur”.
Serge PerettiWhich programmes did Alain Decaux create?
La Tribune de l'Histoire on the radio from 1951, La caméra explore le temps on television from 1957, then Alain Decaux raconte from 1969 to 1987: an hour alone in front of the camera, with no notes and no archive footage.
Pierre DesprogesWas Alain Decaux a member of the Académie française?
Yes, elected on 15 February 1979 to the ninth seat, succeeding Jean Guéhenno — a rare honour for a man whose trade was telling history on television rather than teaching it.
Marc FumaroliWhat was his connection with Sacha Guitry?
He wrote to him at thirteen; Guitry replied, received him, and the friendship lasted until the playwright's death in 1957. Yvonne Printemps, Guitry's wife and leading lady, rests in Division 44 of the same cemetery.
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