The French Masters

Abstract

The French case is peculiar because of the well-known “French exception”. In the present case, this exception is provided—in spite of attempts at changes—by the enduring distinction between university education and the celebrated engineering schools familiarly known in French as “Grandes Ecoles” and of which the Ecole polytechnique remains the world acknowledged paragon. After an attempt at explaining this duality in higher French education as well as the ever present centralization of all things in France, of necessity the development of mechanical engineering sciences in this country through the Twentieth century is examined by schools and centres of influence with mention of the most remarkable individuals who have allowed a renascence of continuum mechanics in the country: namely, the University of Paris (Paris 6 also called UPMC to be more precise) with Paul Germain, the Ecole Polytechnique with Jean Mandel, the University of Grenoble with its polytechnic institute, and other centres which have developed in the period 1950–2000 in spite of the Parisian Jacobinism. Each centre has succeeded to develop special trends in continuum mechanics at the international level of competition, often in the fields of continuum thermomechanics, nonlinear deformations, plasticity and visco-plasticity, rheology, fracture mechanics, coupled fields, homogenization techniques, and other mathematical methods. This is presented in great detail with as much neutrality as possible from the part of a long-time Parisian.