Science put forward.
Published in the Official Journal this Sunday, the new civilian promotion of the Legion of Honor, the highest of French national distinctions, rewards a total and "in parity" 340 people working "in the service of the nation", specifies the Grand Chancellery in a statement.
Illustrious or unknown to the general public, these people are divided into different ranks (knights, officers, commanders).
Several scientists are distinguished in the class of 2023.
The biologist Étienne-Émile Baulieu is the only one to be elevated to the dignity of Grand Cross, the highest distinction, held by only 67 other people.
To be compared with the 79,000 members of the Legion of Honor today.
The physico-chemical Marie-Paule Pileni and the Nobel Prize in Physics (2007) Albert Fert are elevated to the dignity of grand officer.
Alain Aspect, Nobel Prize in Physics 2022, is promoted to Commander.
Thomas Pesquet, knighted in 2019, is promoted to officer before the eight-year regulatory wait given his "clearly characterized exceptional services".
In particular, he took command of the International Space Station in 2022. As for Philippe Baptiste, president of the National Center for Space Studies, he reaches the rank of knight, in the same way as the mathematician Emmanuel Ullmo, director of the Institut des high scientific studies.
Other research disciplines have also been honored in this 2023 class. This is the case of Michel Foucher, geographer, Isabelle Veyrat-Masson, historian and sociologist of the media, and Michel L'hour, archaeologist.
They all become knights.
Former athletes and former ministers also in the spotlight
Former high-level athletes working "in the federation" or for causes of "general interest" integrate the institution, such as the tennis player Yannick Noah, president of Fête le mur, named knight, or the hammer thrower Catherine Moyon de Baecque, co-president of the commission against violence at the French National Olympic Committee.
In the social and health field, Martine Brousse, president of the association La voix de l'enfant, is promoted to commander.
In the economic field, Patricia Barbizet, president of the Témaris investment fund, is elevated to the dignity of grand officer, and Véronique Morali, president of Webedia, is promoted to commander.
Among the servants of the State, the prefect of Île-de-France Marc Guillaume is promoted to commander and Jean-Louis Périès, president of the Special Court of Assizes during the trial of the attacks of November 13, is knighted.
Read also Legion of Honor: Bayrou, Castaner and Ferrand among those decorated on January 1, 2023
Ministers and parliamentarians in office cannot be named, but several former ministers of Emmanuel Macron stand out: Nicole Belloubet is promoted to commander, Muriel Pénicaud, François Bayrou, Frédérique Vidal are promoted to officers, Christophe Castaner, Emmanuelle Wargon, Richard Ferrand are made knights.
In the arts, the conductor Jean-Claude Casadesus is elevated to the dignity of a grand officer, the Nobel Prize for literature Patrick Modiano, promoted to commander, the composer Louis Chedid, knighted.
A distinction also granted to the comic book author Enki Bilal.
