The Jean Giono Prize 2026 finalists have been announced, with four writers vying for the 10,000 euro award.
Finalists announced for Jean Giono Prize 2026
The four finalists for the Jean Giono Prize 2026 were revealed on Wednesday, October 28, after a selection process involving multiple rounds of evaluation by a jury of literary experts.Jury selects four novels
The jury, led by Paule Constant, a member of the Académie Goncourt, met at Drouant in Paris to finalize the list. After narrowing down from 16 works in September and then to eight in October, only four books remain in the running.Finalist titles and authors
The four finalists are: Ananda Devi with Chronique d'un royaume perdu (Grasset), Pierre Ducrozet with Eden (Actes Sud), Jean-Yves Jouannais with Une forêt (Albin Michel), and Anne Percin with Eugénie sous les bombes (Buchet-Chastel).Other shortlisted authors eliminated
Four other authors were eliminated from the competition: Claudie Gallay, Olivier Grondeau, Camille Pascal, and Olivier Truc, each with their respective novels.Jean Giono Prize background
The Jean Giono Prize, established in 1990, honors French-language works that emphasize imagination and storytelling, following the style of Jean Giono, the author of Le Hussard sur le toit. The prize is worth 10,000 euros and is supported by the Jan Michalski Foundation.Jury members and past winner
The jury includes notable figures such as Metin Arditi, Tahar Ben Jelloun, and David Foenkinos. In 2025, the prize was awarded to Belgian writer Antoine Wauters for Haute-Folie (Gallimard).Publication details of finalists
Chronique d'un royaume perdu by Ananda Devi was published on August 19, 2026, and costs 24.00 euros. Eden by Pierre Ducrozet was also published on August 19, 2026, and costs 21.00 euros. Une forêt by Jean-Yves Jouannais was published earlier in 2026, on January 2, and costs 16.90 euros. Eugénie sous les bombes by Anne Percin was published on August 20, 2026, and costs 22.50 euros.Winner to be announced on November 10
The winner of the Jean Giono Prize 2026 will be announced on Tuesday, November 10, following the final jury deliberations.
