1740 in France

Events from the year 1740 in France

Incumbents

Monarch – Louis XV{{cite web |title=BBC - History - King Louis XV |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/louis_xv.shtml |website=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=17 June 2022}}

Vincennes porcelain factory established.Tamara Préaud, ed. Porcelaines de Vincennes: les origines de Sèvres, exhibition catalogue, Grand Palais, October 1977–January 1978.
Approximate date − The mystical tradition called Martinism is established as a masonic high-degree order.

12 April − Claude André Deseine, sculptor (d. 1823)
26 April − Jean-Jacques Paulet, mycologist (d. 1826)
2 June − Marquis de Sade, nobleman, revolutionary politician, philosopher and writer (d. 1814)
6 June − Louis-Sébastien Mercier, dramatist and writer (d. 1814)
10 July − Louis-Étienne Ricard, politician (d. 1840)[http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/sycomore/fiche.asp?num_dept=13335 Biographical details on the National Assembly's site]
27 July − Jeanne Baret, first woman to circumnavigate the globe (d. 1807)

27 January − Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon, Prime Minister of France (born 1692)
15 February − Nicolas Prosper Bauyn d'Angervilliers, politician (born 1675)
2 March − John Gagnier, orientalist (born 1670?)
July − Jacques Barbel, French soldier in Canada (born c.1670){{cite DCB |title=Barbel, Jacques |first=André |last=Vachon |volume=2 |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/barbel_jacques_2E.html}}

Jacques Cassard, naval officer (born 1679)
Pierre Crozat, art collector (born 1665){{cite web | url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/term_details.aspx?bioId=128048 |title=Pierre Crozat (Biographical details) |website=britishmuseum.org |access-date=1 April 2019}}
Jean Soanen, bishop (born 1647)