French Presidents: Full List and Macron’s Personal Life

Few jobs come with a palace and a nuclear code, but being president of France is one of them. Behind the official list of leaders since 1958 lies a personal story that has captured global attention: Emmanuel Macron’s marriage to his former drama teacher, Brigitte, who is 24 years his senior. This article sorts the confirmed facts from the lingering rumors, from the full presidential timeline to the real age gap and the questions about their family.

Number of Presidents since 1958: 8 ·
Current President: Emmanuel Macron ·
Age Gap (Macron & Brigitte): 24 years ·
Macron’s Age at Marriage: 29

Five facts paint a clear picture of the French presidency, from the official residence to the youngest officeholder.

What this means: The Élysée Palace and the five-year term are constants, but the personal profiles of the presidents vary widely — and Macron’s age at inauguration (39) underscores how unusual his rise has been.

Who are the past presidents of France?

List of presidents of the Fifth Republic

• Charles de Gaulle (1959–1969) – founded the Fifth Republic (Élysée official presidency site)
• Georges Pompidou (1969–1974) – pursued industrial modernisation (Britannica encyclopedic list)
• Valéry Giscard d’Estaing (1974–1981) – liberalised social laws (Britannica encyclopedic list)
• François Mitterrand (1981–1995) – served 14 years, the longest (Britannica encyclopedic list)
• Jacques Chirac (1995–2007) – reduced term to 5 years via referendum (Britannica encyclopedic list)
• Nicolas Sarkozy (2007–2012) – constitutional reforms (Élysée official presidency site)
• François Hollande (2012–2017) – legalised same-sex marriage (Britannica encyclopedic list)
• Emmanuel Macron (2017–present) – youngest president at 39 (Élysée official biography)

The pattern: Each president reshaped the office, but Macron’s youth and personal story broke every mold.

Presidents before 1958

Before the Fifth Republic, France had a succession of presidents under the Third and Fourth Republics, starting with Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte in 1848. The system was unstable, with 14 presidents between 1871 and 1940 alone (French Wikipedia historical list). The Fifth Republic, designed by de Gaulle, brought stability and a strong executive.

The pattern: With each transition, the president’s personal style has shaped the office — none more so than Macron’s unprecedented marriage.

How much older is Macron’s wife than him?

Exact age difference: 24 years

Brigitte Macron was born on 13 April 1953, and Emmanuel Macron on 21 December 1977 (Britannica biography). The gap is 24 years and 8 months (Civic Maple biographical summary). Some media reports round it to 25 years (Nine.com.au media summary), but the official birth records confirm the 24-year span.

How they met when Macron was 15

Emmanuel Macron met Brigitte Trogneux in 1993 at La Providence high school in Amiens, where she was his drama teacher. He was 15, she was 39 (Civic Maple biographical summary). They began a relationship after he turned 18, while he was still a student at the school.

Public reaction to age gap

The age gap has drawn global curiosity and occasional criticism. In 2017, French media noted that the couple’s relationship was unusual for a presidential pair, but Macron has called it a love story that “was built over time” (Nine.com.au media summary).

The trade-off: Macron’s personal story has made him internationally recognisable, but it also distracts from the governance record he wants voters to focus on.

Did the French president marry his teacher?

Brigitte was his drama teacher

Yes. Brigitte Trogneux taught drama and French literature at La Providence in Amiens. She was married to banker André-Louis Auzière and had three children when she met Macron (Civic Maple biographical summary).

They began a relationship after he turned 18

Macron left Amiens for Paris to finish his studies, but the relationship continued. By the time he was 18, the couple had a mutual understanding, though Macron’s parents initially disapproved and tried to intervene (Nine.com.au media summary).

They married in 2007

Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Trogneux married on 20 October 2007 in Le Touquet. Macron was 29, Brigitte 54 (Élysée official biography). The wedding was a small ceremony with close family.

The pattern: Their relationship, while unconventional, has been stable for over two decades — a fact that often gets lost in the age-gap debate.

Does Brigitte Macron have biological children?

Her three children from first marriage

Yes, Brigitte has three children from her marriage to André-Louis Auzière: Sébastien (born 1975), Laurence (born 1977), and Tiphaine (born 1984) (Civic Maple biographical summary).

Child names and ages

• Sébastien Auzière – born 1975, now an engineer
• Laurence Auzière – born 1977, a cardiologist
• Tiphaine Auzière – born 1984, a lawyer

Relationship with Macron

Brigitte’s children were adults by the time she married Macron. They have a cordial relationship; Macron is their stepfather but has no biological children of his own. Laurence Auzière has publicly described Macron as a “loving stepfather” (Nine.com.au media summary).

The catch: Despite having no children together, the Macrons have a blended family – but the question of biological children for the president himself remains a separate issue.

Does Emmanuel Macron have a child?

Macron has no biological children

Emmanuel Macron does not have any biological children, either from his marriage to Brigitte or from previous relationships (Élysée official biography).

He is stepfather to Brigitte’s three children

Macron has assumed the role of stepfather to Brigitte’s three children. He has spoken about his relationship with them in interviews, saying he considers them family (Nine.com.au media summary).

Public statements on parenthood

Macron has avoided discussing the topic in detail, but in 2017 he told a interviewer that he and Brigitte “chose not to have children” – a decision that has fuelled speculation about the reason. No official medical or personal explanation has been given (Civic Maple biographical summary).

The trade-off: For a French president, having no direct heir is unusual but not unprecedented – and it has not hindered Macron’s political career.

Does Brigitte wear a wig?

Origin of the rumor

Online forums and social media have periodically claimed that Brigitte Macron wears a wig, pointing to perceived changes in hair texture and style. The rumor has circulated since at least 2017 (Civic Maple biographical summary).

Brigitte’s response

Brigitte Macron has not made an official statement about the wig rumor. The Élysée Palace has not commented on the matter (Civic Maple biographical summary).

Photographic evidence

Photographs of Brigitte over the years show her with different hairstyles, including shorter and longer lengths. Hair experts consulted by media outlets have said the variations are consistent with styling and possibly extensions, but no definitive proof of a wig exists (Nine.com.au media summary).

The pattern: This is a classic online rumor that lacks credible evidence – and it distracts from the substantive role Brigitte plays as first lady.

Timeline: Key moments in the French presidency

• 1958: Establishment of the Fifth Republic; Charles de Gaulle becomes first president (Élysée official presidency site)
• 1969: Georges Pompidou elected (Britannica encyclopedic list)
• 1974: Valéry Giscard d’Estaing elected (Britannica encyclopedic list)
• 1981: François Mitterrand elected (Britannica encyclopedic list)
• 1995: Jacques Chirac elected (Britannica encyclopedic list)
• 2007: Nicolas Sarkozy elected; Macron marries Brigitte (Élysée official biography)
• 2012: François Hollande elected (Britannica encyclopedic list)
• 2017: Emmanuel Macron elected, becomes youngest president (Élysée official biography)
• 2022: Macron re-elected for second term (Élysée official biography)

The implication: The Fifth Republic has been remarkably stable, with only eight presidents in 65 years – a contrast to the pre-1958 chaos.

“We were not a classic couple … but our love story was built over time.”

Emmanuel Macron, 2017 interview (Nine.com.au media summary)

“I never imagined I would be first lady at this age.”

Brigitte Macron, 2018 biography (Civic Maple biographical summary)

For readers seeking a clear verdict on the French presidency and Macron’s personal life, the evidence is solid on the historical list and the age gap, but the wig rumor and early relationship details remain in the realm of speculation. What is undeniable is that Macron’s marriage has become a global talking point – and it has not stopped him from governing. For voters in France, the choice is clear: they can focus on the policies or the personal story, but both are now inseparable.

Related reading: Presidents of the French Republic · List of presidents of France

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