Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

Order of Arts and Letters
Insignia of an Officier and a Chevalier
Native name
FrenchOrdre des Arts et des Lettres
TypeOrder of merit with 3 degrees:
Commandeur (Commander)
Officier (Officer)
Chevalier (Knight)
Awarded forSignificant contribution to the enrichment of the French cultural inheritance
Presented byFrench Minister of Culture
StatusActive
Established2 May 1957
Websitehttp://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/artsetlettres/, https://www.culture.gouv.fr/Nous-connaitre/Organisation-du-ministere/Conseil-de-l-Ordre-des-Arts-et-des-Lettres 

Commandeur

Officier

Chevalier
Ribbon bars of the Order
Precedence
Next (higher)Ordre du Mérite Maritime
Next (lower)Médaille des Évadés

The Order of Arts and Letters (French: Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the Ordre national du Mérite was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is the recognition of significant contributions to the arts, literature, or the propagation of these fields.

Its origin is attributed to the Order of Saint Michael (established 1 August 1469), as acknowledged by French government sources.