Connexion readers recommend more French novels for summer

Last week I wrote about some of my favourite French novels, recommending five to read this summer to help improve your French language skills.

We asked readers for feedback of books they would recommend, and also posted the article on our social media, and have received a range of recommendations. 

Alongside classics, readers recommend several modern novels. Below are some of their choices.

More classics and a history focus

B.E. recommends Henri Troyat’s Les Semailles et les Moissons. This five-part series covers a multi-generational history of peasant girl Amélie, after she moves to Paris from a small village in Corrèze. Spanning from the eve of World War One to the outbreak of World War Two, the novels are a snapshot into interwar life in France, and filled with all the love, desire, jealousy, and social constraints expected of the time.

This reader also recommends L'Allée du Roi, a historical fiction novel by Françoise Chandernagor. The novel, written from the first-person point of view of Madame de Maintenon, a poor girl who rose to become an influential member of Louis XIV’s court and eventually his wife. The novel helped popularise Mrs Maintenon’s story, eventually being turned into film and TV adaptations. 

D.O recommends Voltaire’s Candide, a satire attacking the beliefs of German philosopher Leibniz. Scandalous at its time of publication, it is now a classic and one of the most-taught French novels worldwide.

G.H. suggests novels inspired by history for readers who are comfortable with their level of French and have an interest in global history.

Highlights among these were Amin Maalouf’s Samarcande, an epic history of Islamic poet Omar Khayyam and his book of poetry Rubaiyat in a tale covering hundreds of years, and Memoires d'Hadrien by Marguerite Yourcenar. 

This book recounts the history of Roman Emperor Hadrian, again told in the first person. Deeply personal and supremely intelligent, it is a classic of the historical fiction genre and a must-read for anyone interested in Roman history. 

I have read both of these but only in English and both are excellent. 

Modern books 

However, not everyone recommended a classic, with others pointing to more modern works of fiction. 

“You'll do much better with a… popular fiction that you can pick up in your local supermarket,” said N.K. Larger French supermarkets will usually have a small selection of popular fiction.

Recommendations included: 

• Mélissa da Costa – her debut novel Tout le bleu du ciel became an international sensation

• Guillaume Musso – who has written more than 20 novels and sold millions of copies and who The Connexion interviewed in 2024

• Belgian Georges Simenon – who published a reported 192 novels under his name but wrote up to 400 books according to some sources

Mr Simenon is best-known for his crime fiction novels (known as romans policiers in French) and if you are interested in this genre, he is the perfect place to start. 

Another crime novelist recommended by G.H. was Fred Vargas.

D.E. recommends La Tresse, the 2017 debut novel by Laetitia Colombani. It follows three women from across the globe facing various challenges and discriminations, and their attempts to overcome these. A major hit upon publication, the book was adapted into a 2023 film, as well as a comic and a stage production. 

Do you have any recommendations to add - either classic novels or lesser-known gems, modern or older? Let us know via feedback@connexionfrance.com