Marc Levy, Léa Drucker, Gisèle Pélicot: the recipients of the Legion of Honor of July 14, 2025

Alongside well-known figures such as Mona Ozouf, Pierre Mazeaud and Guillaume Faury, twenty French citizens were awarded the Legion of Honour thanks to the citizens' initiative, a participatory procedure which allows everyone to propose a candidate.

The new civilian promotion of the Legion of Honour, published this Sunday, July 13 in the Official Journal , recognizes 589 personalities. An edition marked by the rise of the "citizen initiative" , a system reinforced since the beginning of the year and which allows French people to directly propose a candidate .

Twenty people were decorated following this participatory process. They were all supported by at least fifty fellow citizens before their applications were examined by the Order's council, along with ministerial proposals.

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"These first twenty decorated people show us that our fellow citizens are taking up the system which now allows us to recognize 100 people each year in the Legion of Honor," emphasizes General François Lecointre , Grand Chancellor of the Order.

Among the winners from this path: Guy Lessieux, a doctor who created the first medical patrol in France, Isabelle Baudoin, a stained glass restorer, Annie Toussaint, a former literature professor working in Rwanda, Guy Paris, a mayor and doctor in a medical desert, Hervé Levesque, a professor of medicine specializing in rare diseases, and René Lucien-Reinette, a former soldier training dogs to support victims of sexual assault. They all embody, according to the Grand Chancellery, "the daily and anonymous face of commitment to the general interest."

In total, this class includes 497 knights, 68 officers, 18 commanders, 4 grand officers, and 2 grand crosses. The recipients come from all sectors of activity, in accordance with the principle of universality of the distinction. Nearly 28% come from the business world, 22% from public administration, 13% from social and health sectors, 12% from education and research, 6% from the cultural sector, and 15% are elected officials.

While some well-known figures are included - such as writers Marc Levy and Emilie Frèche , actress Léa Drucker , comedian Sophia Aram and Gisèle Pélicot , praised for her commitment to combating sexist violence - the Grand Chancellery points out that the majority of those promoted work far from the spotlight. In institutional spheres, we note the appointments of Éric Dupond-Moretti , Stanislas Guerini and Olivier Véran (knights), Bruno Le Maire (officer), and Pierre Mazeaud (grand cross). Former first lady Bernadette Chirac was made an officer for her hospital commitment, and historian Mona Ozouf , a grand cross for her intellectual work.

Created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Legion of Honor now recognizes 77,000 members. Two civilian and two military promotions are announced each year, recognizing approximately 2,200 individuals.

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Excerpts from the promotion of July 14, 2025

1. Decorated from the citizens' initiative

Frédéric Andrès (74) – Master craftsman ironworker
Bernard Audusseau (49) – President of the National Union of Combatants
Aline Auroux (71) – Emeritus Research Director at the CNRS
Jacqueline Barbançon (14) – Honorary President of a blood donor association
Isabelle Baudoin (75) – Stained glass restorer
Gilles Bourguignon (27) – Business leader and association manager
Michel Boyer (13) – Associate professor and former soldier
Olivier Cussenot (75) – University professor, specialist in urology
Stéphane Dupont-Ferrier (38) – Mayor of Fontanil-Cornillon
Dominique Herault (49) – Doctor, founder of a medical center
Francis Hillmeyer (68) – Mayor of Pfastatt, former MP
Guy Lessieux (92) – Doctor, pioneer of medical patrols
Hervé Levesque (27) – Specialist in rare diseases
René Lucien-Reinette (972) – Former soldier, association manager
Evelyne Müller (41) – President of a professional integration association
Guy Paris (27) – Doctor and mayor of Thiberville
Servanne Picq-Jourdy (75) – President of L'Étoile de Martin
Cathy Quénéhervé (78) – Deputy Managing Director, Klésia group
Michel Rouquette (75) – First national trampoline coach
Annie Toussaint (89) – Association manager, involved in Rwanda

2. Decorated from ministerial proposals

Economy

Knights : Laurent Berger, Antoine Bernard de Saint-Affrique, Thibaut Guilluy, Bernard Thibault
Commanders : Frédéric Gervoson, Pierre-René Lemas
Distinguished Company President : Guillaume Faury (Airbus)

Elected officials

Knights : Eric Dupond-Moretti, Stanislas Guerini, Stéphane Le Foll, Jacques Mézard, Olivier Véran
Officers : Jean-Louis Bourlanges, Bruno Le Maire
Grand Cross : Pierre Mazeaud

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Culture

Knights : Sophia Aram, Jean-Louis Aubert, Léa Drucker, Emilie Frèche, Marc Levy, Andreï Makine, Pharrell Williams
Commanders : Catherine Lara, Sylvie Vartan
Grand officers : Marin Karmitz, Adrien Maeght

State Service