The Académie française, a prestigious French institution responsible for regulating the French language, announced the first round of selections for its 2026 Grand Prix du roman on Thursday, October 1st. The Commission du Grand Prix du roman, made up of 12 full members of the Académie and some substitutes, chose 12 novels for consideration. These works, listed alphabetically by their authors, include Le Pays des étés by Pierre Adrian, Les Maîtres du sol by Ryad Assani-Razaki, Chronique d’un royaume perdu by Ananda Devi, Le Fabuleux Piano by Sonia Devillers, La solitude des professeurs est infinie by Yannick Haenel, Hyperkarma by Nicolas Idier, Le Rappel des oiseaux by Sébastien Lapaque, Les Amants du Vercors by Jessica L. Nelson, Heures sauvages by Marie Petitcuénot, De l’autre côté du lac by Sylvain Prudhomme, La Guerre éternelle by Olivier Rolin, and Midgar by Noham Selcer. A second round of selections, narrowing the field to three novels, will be announced on Thursday, October 15th. The winner will be revealed on Thursday, October 29th. The Grand Prix du roman, established in 1914, is awarded annually by the Académie française and is affiliated with the Fondation Broquette-Gonin. The three shortlisted novels will be evaluated by the entire Académie, with the final winner chosen by secret ballot. In 2025, the prize was awarded to Yanick Lahens for her novel Passagères de nuit, published by Sabine Wespieser. Lahens, a Haitian writer, won in the third round with 11 votes compared to 10 for Pauline Dreyfus. The prize at that time was worth 10,000 euros. The 2026 shortlisted novels will be published at various times throughout the year. Le pays des étés is set for August 13, 2026, with 192 pages and a price of 19.00 euros. Les Maîtres du sol will be published on August 20, 2026, with 528 pages and a price of 23.00 euros. Chronique d’un royaume perdu is scheduled for August 19, 2026, with 454 pages and a price of 24.00 euros. Le Fabuleux Piano will be published on August 27, 2026, with 288 pages and a price of 21.00 euros. La solitude des professeurs est infinie is also due on August 20, 2026, with 320 pages and a price of 21.50 euros. Le Rappel des oiseaux will be published on October 7, 2026, with 288 pages and a price of 21.00 euros. Les amants du Vercors was published earlier, on April 8, 2026, with 336 pages and a price of 21.90 euros. Heures sauvages is set for August 20, 2026, with 138 pages and a price of 17.00 euros. De l’autre côté du lac will be published on August 27, 2026, with 288 pages and a price of 22.00 euros. La guerre éternelle is also due on August 20, 2026, with 224 pages and a price of 20.00 euros. Finally, Midgar will be published on August 20, 2026, with 624 pages and a price of 25.00 euros.