Death of Francois Mitterand
Death of Francois Mitterand
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1996 in France
Explore 28 historical events and records for France in 1996.
Historical records for France in 1996
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 28 of 28 unique records.
28Unique records
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26Named events on this page
14Named people on this page
14Places on this page
January
Death of Francois Mitterrand
Death of Francois Mitterrand
France Conducts Final Nuclear Test
France conducts its final nuclear test before ending nuclear explosive testing.
Nuclear Power
France carries out a nuclear test equivalent to approximately 120,000 tonnes of conventional explosives, six times the force of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima
February
Nuclear Power
Chirac announces an end to nuclear tests, accedes to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
Treaty of Test Ban
Paris agrees to a 10-year compensation package for French Polynesia to rectify some of the damage caused by the programme of nuclear testing. Chirac announces an end to nuclear tests, accedes to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
March
Late Newcastle Winner in Title Pursuit
Cantona scored the only goal away to Newcastle United as Manchester United closed the gap in a pivotal Premier League title race.
Turin Intergovernmental Conference
Chirac participated in launching negotiations that produced the Amsterdam Treaty.
October
Arsenal Managerial Appointment
Wenger formally began his Arsenal managerial tenure in October 1996, becoming the club’s first manager recruited from outside Britain.
First Arsenal Match at Blackburn
Wenger opened his Arsenal managerial career with a 2-0 Premier League victory away to Blackburn Rovers, providing an immediate winning start.
December
Treaty of Schengen
de Charette helps back the Nordic accessions that extend Schengen cooperation across northern Europe. French officials link border removal with operational law-enforcement cooperation.
Treaty of Schengen
In France, Juppe leads France as Denmark, Finland and Sweden sign agreements joining Schengen. France supports mobility alongside common visa and security arrangements.
Large Hadron Collider Construction Plan
Presides as CERN Council approves completing the Large Hadron Collider in a single construction stage rather than the original two-stage plan.
Forty Yard Sunderland Lob
Cantona chipped the Sunderland goalkeeper after a flowing exchange with Brian McClair and stood still in celebration of an exceptional goal.
Other events (month unknown)
1996 FA Cup Final Winning Volley
Scores a late volley against Liverpool and lifts the trophy as Manchester United captain.
Arsenal Match Winning Finish
Cantona found the decisive goal against Arsenal during United's championship surge, supplying a result that intensified pressure on Newcastle.
Brussels European Final Clean Sheet
Bernard Lama kept a clean sheet as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Rapid Vienna to win the 1996 European Cup Winners' Cup.
Cup Winners Cup Final Free Kick Goal
Bruno N'Gotty scored from a free kick against Rapid Vienna to give Paris Saint-Germain a 1-0 win in the European Cup Winners' Cup final.
European Cup Winners Cup Coaching Triumph
Luis Fernández managed Paris Saint-Germain to its first major European trophy as the team defeated Rapid Vienna 1-0 in Brussels.
Japanese Super Cup with Nagoya
Nagoya Grampus Eight won the 1996 Japanese Super Cup under Wenger before his move to English football later that year.
Manchester United Title Celebrations at Middlesbrough
Cantona captained Manchester United as they secured the league championship with a final-day victory against Middlesbrough.
Nagoya Wins Japanese Super Cup
Arsène Wenger added the Japanese Super Cup to Nagoya's honours before leaving for England.
Player of the Year
Manchester United talisman Cantona takes the writers award after a succession of decisive performances drives the club towards another domestic double.
Transfer to Arsenal
Patrick Vieira joins Arsenal from AC Milan. Arsene Wenger's arrival helped the young French midfielder gain a central role in Arsenal's rebuilt side.
Transfer to Juventus
Zinedine Zidane leaves Bordeaux to take up a new playing role with Juventus. His performances in France had brought him to Juventus in 1996, where he developed into a continental star.
United Captaincy and Second Double
Cantona captained United through an FA Cup triumph and a league title, underlining his importance after the previous year's suspension.
Wenger Appointed Arsenal Head Coach
Arsène Wenger began a transformative period at Arsenal, introducing changes to fitness, recruitment and playing style.
Wenger Wins Debut Arsenal Match
Arsène Wenger's first Arsenal league match ended in a two nil victory away to Blackburn Rovers.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.