Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King is excellent, but it is not historical fiction. It is non-fiction.

Why on earth is Alexandre Dumas below ten other books???

Maia wrote: "Why on earth is Alexandre Dumas below ten other books???"

Probably because his books were added after some of the others on the list and because not very many people have voted yet. Round up your friends and ask them to vote!

Good idea Rosemary - I will do that.

I see "Love and Louis XIV" is still on this list, despite being non-fiction; do you want me to remove it, Rosemary?

I personally don't care if the books are fiction or non-fiction as long as they are a Good Read. Maybe we should change the name of the list or just note that it is non-fiction.

Wow, our list is up to 51 books. Now we need more readers to vote. Maybe some books will shift positions.

I added a few books too - I hope that was OK.

Remarque's Arch of Triumph: A Novel of a Man Without a Country was contemporaneous writing when published (it's set in its author's own lifetime) and therefore wouldn't fall within the standard definition of "historical" fiction (=set BEFORE its author's own lifetime).

Same rationale as with regard to Love and Louis XIV -- who cares whether it's actually (a) historical (b) fiction, the only thing that matters is whether someone liked it enough to add it to this list?

It is so rewarding to see how many readers have found this list and added to it! I'm so caught up on all my Plantagenet dynasty books, I haven't had time to get back to this list but I'm certainly happy to have started it and to see so many are being drawn to it. Happy reading!

Rosemary - do you want the non-fiction removed?

Susanna wrote: "Rosemary - do you want the non-fiction removed?"
Sure

Removed Love and Louis XIV, which was the only non-fiction I saw.

These look great! Was looking for some French historical fiction to get my teeth into, as I'm going there for a few months this year. Thanks for the list!Will work my way through them :)

Lydia wrote: "These look great! Was looking for some French historical fiction to get my teeth into, as I'm going there for a few months this year. Thanks for the list!Will work my way through them :)"

I visited France last year inspired by Henri II and Diane de Poitiers. (Courtesan on this list) and also in the footsteps on Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
If you visit Chenenceau do not go at 10 AM - that is peak crowd time. Go early or go later in the day. Otherwise it's too crowded to see it very well.

Great list. Good idea. French history is volatile,passionate and endlessly fascinating.

I just finished City of Light, City of Poison, by Holly Tucker, and it is really good, though non fiction.

I thought The Black Tulip (#177) was set in The Netherlands? (And by the way, Madame Bovary (#132) isn't historical fiction)