A French novel is a work of literature written in the French language. The term 'French novel' can refer to any novel written in French, including those written by authors from France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, and other French-speaking countries. One example of a French novel is 'Le ROMAN', which was written by French author Stendhal in 1831. Le ROMAN is considered to be one of the earliest examples of the realist novel, and it follows the life of Julien Sorel, a young man from a rural background who attempts to rise in society.