CNES formerly was responsible for the training of French astronauts, but the last of them were transferred to the European Space Agency in 2001.

It was named after Claudie and Jean-Pierre Haigneré, two French astronauts.

As soon as the helmet was on his head and the eyepieces in place the figure of the French astronaut popped into being and began to speak.

Also returning was a French astronaut, Jean-Loup Chretien, who spent three and a half weeks aloft.

The mission transported the first French astronaut, Jean-Loup Chrétien, into space.

The French astronaut, Claudie Haigneré, is the first French citizen to visit the station.

They wanted to call it the "Ariane 9," but when that was turned down they settled for naming a French astronaut as chief pilot.

The French female astronaut had unbuckled herself and swum up to confer with him-endlessly; in French, and pitched too low for anyone else to hear.

On his first flight to Mir, he flew with a French astronaut; on his second, he shared the ride with a British counterpart.

It carried two Russian and one French astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS).