Goncourt 2026: four novelists left in the race ahead of the 3 November verdict
· BehindLines newsroom
Only four novels remain in contention. On Tuesday 27 October 2026 the Académie Goncourt released its third and final selection: Yannick Haenel, Philippe Jaenada, Clémentine Mélois and Sylvain Prudhomme are now competing for France's best-known literary award, whose winner will be announced on 3 November.
The four books
According to Le Matin, the list includes "La solitude des professeurs est infinie" by Yannick Haenel (Gallimard), "L'inconnue du Quai de Javel" by Philippe Jaenada (Flammarion), "Choses que je croyais perdues" by Clémentine Mélois and "De l'autre côté du lac" by Sylvain Prudhomme (Minuit). For Mélois's book, Le Matin gives the imprint as L'Arbalète/Gallimard, whereas Fnac's L'Éclaireur simply says Gallimard.
What the books are about
L'Éclaireur describes Jaenada's novel as an investigation into the murder of Louise Cansot, committed in Paris in 1949, and into the dismissal of the case a few weeks later. Prudhomme's text is described there as a contemplative novel about the place of wild nature, combined with a thriller set in the Alps. The site gives no summary for the other two titles.
A jury in transition
Per Le Matin, the nine-member jury has been chaired by Philippe Claudel since the death of Didier Decoin in August. The same article recalls that the prize was founded by will in 1892 on the initiative of Edmond de Goncourt and honours the best work of prose fiction published during the year.
What happens next
Both sources give the same deadline: the winner's name will be known on 3 November 2026. L'Éclaireur does not say where the announcement will take place. Until then, L'Éclaireur sees Philippe Jaenada and Sylvain Prudhomme as the two favourites while saying it is hard to single one out, and Le Matin names none; the decision rests entirely with the jury, and only the result of 3 November will count.