Events from the year 1946 in France.

• Chairman of the Provisional Government (also Prime Minister):
  • until 26 January: Charles de Gaulle
  • 26 January-24 June: Félix Gouin
  • 24 June-28 November: Georges Bidault
  • 28 November-16 December: Vincent Auriol (interim)
  • starting 16 December: Leon Blum

• 16 January – Charles de Gaulle resigns as a head of a French provisional government.
• 20 January – Charles de Gaulle resigns as President of France.
• 6 March – Ho Chi Minh signs an agreement with France which recognizes Vietnam as an autonomous state in the Indochinese Federation and the French Union.
• 19 March – French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion become overseas départements of France.
• 7 April – Syria's independence from France is officially recognised.
• 5 May – Constitutional Referendum held and proposed constitution rejected.
• 2 June – Legislative Election held.
• 5 July – The bikini, designed by Louis Réard, is first modeled by Micheline Bernardini at the Piscine Molitor in Paris.
• 13 October – Constitutional Referendum held and constitution approved, creating the French Fourth Republic.
• 10 November – Legislative Election held for the first National Assembly of the Fourth Republic.
• December – Severe winter weather.
• 12 December – Léon Blum founds a government of socialist parties in France.
• 16 December – Luxury brand Christian Dior is established in Paris by designer Christian Dior.
• 24 December – French Fourth Republic founded.

• 14 February – Tina Aumont, actress (died 2006)
• 2 March – Paul-Henri Nargeolet, explorer (died 2023)
• 7 April – Colette Besson, Olympic athlete (died 2005)
• 13 May – Jean Rondeau, motor racing driver and constructor (died 1985)
• 16 May – Jean-Michel Gaillard, politician (died 2005)
• 17 May – Philippe Tillous-Borde, entrepreneur and engineer (died 2022)
• 19 May – André the Giant, professional wrestler (died 1993)
• 17 June – Gérard Grisey, composer (died 1998)

• 22 July – Mireille Mathieu, singer
• 25 July – Nicole Farhi, sculptor and fashion designer
• 9 August - Alain Dorval, voice actor of Sylvester Stallone (died 2024).
• 30 September – Claude Vorilhon, leader of Raëlian Movement
• 8 October – Jean-Jacques Beineix, film director (died 2022)
• 6 November – Romain Argyroudis, soccer player
• 18 November – Pierre Chanal, soldier and suspected serial killer (died 2003)
• 8 December – Jacques Bourboulon, photographer
• 17 December – François Lamoureux, European civil servant (died 2006)
• 24 December :
  • Daniel Beretta, retired voice actor and singer (died 2024)
  • Roselyne Bachelot, politician

• Denise Pumain, geographer^[1]

• 11 February – Ludovic-Oscar Frossard, socialist, communist politician (born 1889)
• 12 February – Georges Dumas, doctor, psychologist (born 1866)
• 9 June – Charles Burguet, film director (born 1878)
• 9 August – Léon Gaumont, inventor, engineer, film pioneer and industrialist (born 1864)
• 16 September – Henri Gouraud, general (born 1867)
• 20 September – Raimu, actor (born 1883)
• 5 October – Cécile Brunschvicg, politician (born 1877)
• 12 December – Renée Jeanne Falconetti, actress (born 1892)

• List of French films of 1946