François Texier

Until 2024, François Texier, and his brother, Auguste Texier, were complete unknowns in Olympic history, often called only “Texier I” and “Texier II”. We were not even certain if this was one, or two, Olympic athlete(s). However, recent research by Stéphane Gachet, and further identification by Jean Michel Serrurier, has helped identify the two French sailing brothers.

Both Texier brothers were the sons of a great ship builder in the mid-19th century, who created a company along the Seine in 1848, which produced what were considered the world’s best racing yachts. François, the older of the two brothers, took over his father’s business at the turn of the 20th century and led it to prosperity in his workshops at 11 quai du Petit-Gennevilliers.