October 13 - Actor Guillaume Depardieu Dies
The French actor Guillaume Depardieu died on October 13, 2008, at the Garches hospital the age of 37 after contracting severe viral pneumonia at a filming location in Romania, where he had been working on a new movie, L'Enfance d'Icare. AFP, BBC News

October 9 - J. M. G. Le Clézio Wins Nobel Prize
Franco-Mauritian novelist Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Literature. Nobelprize.org

July 27 - Carlos Sastre wins 2008 Tour de France
The Spanish cyclist Carlos Sastre won the 2008 Tour de France. Sastre is the third consecutive Spanish rider to win the Tour. Full story: NYTimes BBC CNN

July 5 - 2008 Tour de France begins
The 2008 Tour de France began on July 5 and will run through the 27th. This year's Tour differs from previous years' in significant ways. For the first time since 1967, the Tour will begin without a prologue time trial. Tour organizers have also decided to eliminate time bonuses. Full story: NYTimes Telegraph

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July 1 - France takes over EU presidency France began its six-month European Union presidency got on July 1. Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, said that the EU needs profound changes following Ireland's rejection of a key reform treaty. Full story: Canada.com Deutsche Welle AP June 17 - French workers go on strike to protest reforms French workers went on strike on Tuesday to protest reforms to the pension system and the 35-hour work week. Full story: Reuters