92nd Prix des Deux Magots: first selection
The Prix des Deux Magots jury, chaired by Étienne de Montety, met on Monday September1 to make the first selection of books in competition for the 92ᵉ Prix des Deux Magots.
A second deliberation on Monday September 22 will narrow the list down to four or five finalists.
The winner will be announced on Monday October 6, 2025, at 12:30 pm at the Café des Deux Magots.
Here are the books shortlisted for the 92nd Prix des Deux Magots:
Feurat Alani, Le ciel est immense (JC Lattès)
Lucie-Anne Belgy, Il pleut sur la parade (Gallimard)
Julien Delmaire, La joie de l’ennemi (Grasset)
Nathan Devers, Overheating (Albin Michel)
Joseph Incardona, Le monde est fatigué (Finitude)
Pierre Jourde, La marchande d’oublies (Gallimard)
Lola Nicolle, Le Grand Horizon (Phébus)
Fabrice Pliskin, Le fou de Bourdieu (cherche midi)
Victor Pouchet, Voyage voyage (L’arbalète)
“This first selection embodies the spirit of curiosity that drives the Prix des Deux Magots jury. It highlights the diversity of authors and styles: contemporary or historical novels, wide-ranging narratives or pages of more discreet charm, first novels or works by established authors. The jurors defended their favorites with sincere conviction, reaffirming the prize’s vocation to celebrate all forms of literary creation and to carry high the freedom of spirit that characterizes it.” – Étienne de Montety
The jury for the Prix des Deux Magots is made up of the following personalities:
Étienne de Montety, director of Figaro Littéraire and writer
Laurence Caracalla, journalist
Nicolas Carreau, journalist, columnist and author
Jean Chalon, journalist and writer
Jean-Luc Coatalem, journalist and writer
Pauline Dreyfus, writer
Clara Dupont-Monod, publisher and writer
Jessica Nelson, writer and co-founder of Éditions des Saint Pères
Marianne Payot, journalist
Abel Quentin, writer
About the Prix des Deux Magots
Created in 1933 as a reaction to the Goncourt, considered too academic, the Prix des Deux Magots is one of France’s oldest literary awards. True to the spirit of independence and daring that drives the famous Saint-Germain-des-Prés cultural café, each year it honors a French-language novel or essay, revealing an emerging or under-recognized talent. The jury is free in its choices, but does not rule out awarding a prize to a work that meets other criteria. Endowed with €7,700 and an open table at Les Deux Magots for one year, the prize is currently chaired by Étienne de Montety , and is one of the major literary events of the autumn.
Over the years, the prize has been awarded to authors such as Raymond Queneau, Antoine Blondin, Pauline Réage, Roland Topor, Marc Dugain, Serge Joncour and Jérôme Garcin. The 92nd winner will be announced at the award ceremony on Monday October 6, 2025, at 12:30 pm, at the Café des Deux Magots. He or she will succeed Jean-Pierre Montal, who won in 2024 for his novel La Face nord (éditions Séguier).