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This is a chronological list of capitals ofFrance. The capital of France has been Paris since itsliberation in 1944.^[1]

• Tournai (before 486), current-day Belgium
• Soissons (486–936)
• Laon (936–987)
• Paris (987–1419), the residence of the Kings of France, although they were consecrated atReims.
• Orléans (1108), one of the few consecrations of a French monarch to occur outside of Reims occurred at Orléans, whenLouis VI the Fat was consecrated inOrléans Cathedral byDaimbert, Archbishop ofSens; from 13 December 1560 to 31 January 1561, theFrench States-General also met in the city.
• Troyes (1419–1422), for a short time during theHundred Years' War, the city was the seat of the royal government.
• Bourges (1422–1444),Charles VII was forced to flee from Paris.
• Tours (1444–1527),Louis XI made theChâteau de Plessis-lez-Tours his residence.
• Paris (1528–1589),Francis I had established his court in Paris.
• Tours (1589–1594), faction of parliamentarians, faithful to KingHenry IV sat at Tours.
• Paris (1594–1682)^{[citation needed]}
• Versailles (1682–1789), from 1682 to 1715,Louis XIV made Versailles his residence and the seat of the French court.
• Paris (1789–1871), on 5 and 6 October 1789, a throng from Paris invaded the castle and forced the royal family to move back to Paris. TheNational Constituent Assembly followed the King to Paris soon afterward; Versailles lost its role of capital city.

Provisional seats of the government:

• Versailles (1871), theFrench Third Republic established Versailles as its provisional seat of government in March 1871 after theParis Commune took control of Paris.
• Bordeaux (September 1914), the government was relocated from Paris to Bordeaux very briefly duringWorld War I, when it was feared that Paris would soon fall into German hands. These fears were alleviated after the German Army was pushed back at theFirst Battle of the Marne.
• Tours (10–13 June 1940), the city served as the temporary capital of France duringWorld War II after the government fled Paris due to the German advance.
• Bordeaux (June 1940), the government was relocated from Paris to Tours then Bordeaux very briefly during World War II, when it became apparent that Paris would soon fall into German hands.
• Clermont-Ferrand (29 June 1940), the government was relocated from Bordeaux to Clermont-Ferrand, during a single day, before going to Vichy, which had a larger hotel capacity.
• Vichy (1940–1944), the Third Republic was abolished in Vichy and replaced it with theFrench State.
• Brazzaville (1940–1943), withmetropolitan France underAxis powers rule, Brazzaville was announced as the seat of theFree France government.
• Algiers (1943–1944), the city was made the seat ofFree France, to be closer to the war in Europe.

• Paris (1945-present day).

• France history-related lists
• Capitals by country
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