The French Renaissance, a recent term used to describe a cultural and artistic movement in France from the late 15th century to the early 17th century, is associated with the pan-European Renaissance that many cultural historians believe originated in northern Italy in the fourteenth century.

The French Renaissance traditionally extends from (roughly) the French invasion of Italy in 1494 during the reign of Charles VIII until the death of Henry IV in 1610.

This chronology not withstanding, certain artistic, technological or literary developments associated with the Italian Renaissance had arrived in France earlier (for example, by way of the Burgundy court or the Papal court in Avignon); however, the Black Death of the 14th century and the Hundred Years' War had kept France economically and politically weak until the late 15th century and this prevents the full use of these influences.The reigns of Francis I of France (from 1515 to 1547) and his son Henry II (from 1547 to 1559) are generally considered the apex of the French Renaissance.

After Henry II's unfortunate death in a joust, the country is ruled by his widow Catherine de' Medici and her sons Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III, and although the Renaissance continues to flourish, the French Wars of Religion between Huguenots and Catholics ravage the country.Notable developments during the French Renaissance include the beginning of the absolutism in France, the spread of humanism; early exploration of the "New World" (as by Giovanni da Verrazzano and Jacques Cartier); the importing (from Italy, Burgundy and elsewhere) and development of new techniques and artistic forms in the fields of printing, architecture, painting, sculpture, music, the sciences and vernacular literature; and the elaboration of new codes of sociability, etiquette and discourse.