2026 Renaudot Prize shortlist revealed

The Renaudot Prize 2026 announced its final shortlist on Wednesday, October 28, with six novels and four essays remaining in competition. The winners will be revealed on November 3 at the Paris restaurant Drouant.

Novels shortlisted for the prize

The six novels shortlisted for the 2026 Renaudot Prize are: Le Palais by François-Henri Désérable (Gallimard); La Méthode by David Djaïz (Stock); Stay Free by Patrice Jean (Le Cherche Midi); Un corps indocile by Osvalde Lewat (Philippe Rey); Eugénie sous les bombes by Anne Percin (Buchet-Chastel); and Heures sauvages by Marie Petitcuénot (Héloïse d'Ormesson).

Controversies and eliminations

Four novelists from the second selection were eliminated: Boris Bergmann, Jean-Marie Blas de Roblès, Hemley Boum, and Thélyson Orélien. Patrice Jean reappeared with Stay Free after being excluded from the October 7 list. Thélyson Orélien’s novel C'était ça ou mourir (Grasset) was excluded from the final selection despite being retained on October 7. The book had been withdrawn from the Goncourt Prize in September over plagiarism allegations and suspicions of AI use.

Essays shortlisted for the prize

The four essays shortlisted for the 2026 Renaudot Prize are: Dictionnaire amoureux du bonheur by Jean-Paul Enthoven (Plon); L'Odyssée de l'Odyssée by Christophe Ono-dit-Biot (Grasset); La Guerre éternelle by Olivier Rolin (Gallimard); and La Vie brute by Joy Sorman (Flammarion).

Controversy around one essay

Jean-Paul Enthoven remains in contention despite controversy surrounding his Dictionnaire amoureux du bonheur, which has been noted for similarities with earlier texts by philosopher Frédéric Schiffter, who accused him of literary "piracy." When questioned about this, Frédéric Beigbeder, the jury chair, stated: "Yes, I am aware and yes, I will take it into account. But I only have one vote!"

Renaudot Prize’s centenary

The Renaudot Prize, established in 1926 by journalists waiting for the announcement of the Goncourt Prize, celebrates its centenary this year. The awards will be given on November 3, alongside the announcement of the Renaudot for the paperback book. In 2025, Adélaïde de Clermont-Tonnerre won the Renaudot for the novel Je voulais vivre (Grasset), while Alfred de Montesquiou was distinguished in the essay category for Le Crépuscule des hommes (Robert Laffont).