Prix ​​Goncourt 2026: four novels in the running to succeed “La Maison vide” by Laurent Mauvignier, the winner designated from 12:45 p.m.

The jurors must choose between “The Unknown Girl on the Quai de Javel” by Philippe Jaenada, “The Solitude of Teachers is Infinite” by Yannick Haenel, “Things That I Thought Lost” by Clémentine Mélois and “On the Other Side of the Lake” by Sylvain Prudhomme.

What you need to know

Who will succeed Laurent Mauvignier? The Goncourt jury awards the most prestigious literary prize on Tuesday, November 3, at the end of a return to school shaken by the Thélyson Orélien affair. The nine jurors must nominate their favorite novel of 2026 from among the four finalists: The Unknown Girl on the Quai de Javel by Philippe Jaenada, The Solitude of Professors is Infinite by Yannick Haenel, Things I Thought Lost by Clémentine Mélois and On the Other Side of the Lake by Sylvain Prudhomme. The announcement is expected from 12:45 p.m., and the winner of the Renaudot prize will also be revealed immediately. Follow our live stream.

Already won for the Madrigall group. The four novels still in the running for the Goncourt Prize are all published by houses belonging to the publishing group chaired by Antoine Gallimard. This concentration revives the debate on editorial diversity and the influence of large groups in literary prizes.

Thélyson Orélien dismissed. As for the other prizes, the jury of the Académie Goncourt did not keep in its selection the novel by the Canadian-Haitian writer Thélyson Orélien, It was that or die (ed. Grasset), accused of having been written largely by artificial intelligence. Which the author denies.

The Medici Prize revealed. The Medici Prize was awarded on Monday to Philippe Vasset for his novel In the Great Lines (ed. Flammarion), the story of a crossing of France following high-voltage lines. The winner said he was happy to be rewarded “for such an improbable book”.

#GONCOURT The Goncourt Prize will be revealed by the Academy jury around 12:45 p.m. on the first floor of the Parisian restaurant Drouant, as tradition dictates... since 1914. France Culture devoted a podcast, in 2013, to the history of this prestigious literary award.

#GONCOURT This year, the Goncourt prize was tainted by the Thélyson Orélien affair. The novel It Was That or Die by this Canadian-Haitian author was critically acclaimed before he was accused of having written it with the help of AI. Presented as one of the favorites, it was withdrawn from the Goncourt selection and eliminated from the other literary prizes. The Goncourt Academy said it was considering "slightly modifying" its regulations to "clearly specify" that its prize "can only recognize a work written by a human being."