France executed nuclear weapons tests in the areas of Reggane and In Ekker in Algeria and the Mururoa and Fangataufa Atolls in French Polynesia, from 13 February 1960 through 27 January 1996. These totaled 210 tests with 210 device explosions, 50 in the atmosphere. Discrepancies between those totals and the table below consist in two undocumented tests mentioned in other sources and five safety tests in an area near In Ekker named Adar Tickertane.
List
+ France's nuclear testing series summary Series or years Years covered TestsIncludes all tests with potential for nuclear fission or fusion explosion, including combat use, singleton tests, salvo tests, zero yield fails, safety experiments, and bombs incapacitated by accidents but still intended to be fired. It does not include hydronuclear and subcritical tests, and misfires of a device which was subsequently fired successfully. Devices fired Devices with unknown yield Peaceful use tests Non-PTBT testsNumber of tests which would have been in violation of the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963, such as atmospheric, space or underwater tests. Some "peaceful use" cratering tests which should have been violations were protested, and later quietly dropped. Yield range (kilotons) "Small" refers to a value greater than zero but less than 0.5 kt. Total yield (kilotons) Some yields are described like "< 20 kt"; such are scored at one half of the numeric amount, i.e., yield of 10k in this example. "Unknown yield" adds nothing to the total. Notes Reggane 1960
1 to 70
A series of 4 atmospheric nuclear tests conducted in Reggane. Included the first nuclear test by France, Gerboise Bleue. In Ekker 1961–1966
0 to 127
Series of underground nuclear testing conducted in In Ekker. Radioactive fallout was leaked throughout multiple of the tests. 1966–1970 1966–1970
0 to 2,600
Series of atmospheric nuclear tests conducted at Moruroa Atoll and Fangataufa Atoll.
Included France's first and most powerful thermonuclear test, Canopus. 1971–1974 1971–1974
0 to 955
Second series of atmospheric nuclear tests conducted at Moruroa and Fangataufa. 1975–1978 1975–1978
0 to 64
First series of underground nuclear tests conducted at Moruroa and Fangataufa. 1979–1980 1979–1980
0 to 112
1981–1982 1981–1982
0 to 56
1983–1985 1983–1985
0,25 to 80
1986–1988 1986–1988
2 to 103
1989–1991 1989–1991
0 to 118
1995–1996 1995–1996
8 to 120
Last series of nuclear tests conducted by France. France signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty after the last test of the series, Xouthos. Totals 1960, Feb 13 to 1996, Jan 27 210 210
4 55 0 to 2,600 13,567 Total country yield is 2.5% of all nuclear testing.
See also List of nuclear weapons tests Force de dissuasion
References
Sources