Figaro, Le

Morning daily newspaper published in Paris, once one of the great newspapers of France and of the world.

Founded in 1826 as a witty gossip sheet on the arts, by 1866 it was a well-written daily filled with political discourse. Though the paper's reputation faltered at times and it suspended publication during World War II, in the postwar years it became the voice of the French upper middle class, providing broad subject coverage while maintaining an independent editorial stance. In the 1960s and '70s the staff was rent by conflicts over its leadership. In 1975 the paper was bought by the conservative Robert Hersant, who ran it until his death in 1996. U.S. investment firm Carlyle Group owned a minority share in Le Figaro Group from 1999 to 2002, when full ownership passed to Socpresse.

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▪ French newspaper

      morning daily newspaper published in Paris, one of the great newspapers of France and of the world.

      Founded in 1826 as a sardonic and witty gossip sheet on the arts—named for Figaro, the barber of Seville—by 1866 Le Figaro was a daily that engaged some of the finest writers in France and filled its pages with political discourse. The paper was a pioneer in dividing the coverage and presentation of news into departments and in publishing interviews with celebrated personages. Le Figaro was purchased in 1922 by François Coty (Coty, François), the cosmetics manufacturer, and soon its reputation suffered as it became little more than a promotional sheet for Coty's political ambitions. Coty died in 1934, and under the editorship of Pierre Brisson Le Figaro quickly moved back into a position of leadership among French newspapers.

      At the start of World War II, Le Figaro was France's leading daily newspaper. When the Nazis occupied Paris the paper moved to the town of Vichy but shortly suspended publication rather than submit to censorship by the Pétain government. It returned to Paris and resumed publication in 1944 before the Germans had departed. After World War II the paper became the voice of the French upper middle class while maintaining an independent editorial stance.

      In the postwar years the paper has increasingly covered medicine and other scientific fields, the entertainment and artistic worlds, and literary developments while maintaining its outstanding international coverage. In the 1960s and '70s the staff of Le Figaro was rent by tensions and conflicts over management and ownership as the paper—after Brisson's death—was headed by a succession of individuals accused of wartime collaboration with the Nazis or the Vichy government.

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