Franco-Seychellois

Franco-Seychellois are people of French descent living in the Seychelles. Franco-Seychellois have played an important role in the country's history both before and since independence. Around 17,000 people, or 14% of the people living on the Seychelles, have French ancestry.

Many Franco-Seychellois settled on the islands during the period of French rule over the archipelago. During this time, African and Malagasy slaves were also brought to the Seychelles. Franco-Seychellois were allowed to retain their culture after the British took control of the Seychelles.

Historically, French-speaking European Seychellois were divided between two classes, grands blancs, who represented the wealthy planter class, and petit blancs, who represented the working classes. The grands blancs are a less numerous group, composed of only about forty large families, but held most of the land and political power in the islands in the colonial era. The Planters and Taxpayers Association, which represented the interests of the grands blancs, dominated the Legislative Council of Seychelles from its inception in 1962. The two groups were historically divided, and as a consequence the petit blancs were politically aligned with the Seychellois Creole people by the 1960s. Upon the independence of Seychelles, many Franco-Seychellois played important roles in the development of a one-party socialist state under the leadership of France-Albert René (himself ethnically French) and the Seychelles People's United Party.

The majority of Franco-Seychellois speak Seychellois Creole, the country's most widely spoken language. They also often speak French and English. Of the religiously affiliated, the large majority are Roman Catholic, with a minority belonging to other Christian denominations.