Army General (France)

A Général d'Armée (Army General) is the highest active military rank of the French Army.

Officially, Général d'armée is not a rank (grade in French), but a position and style (rang et appellation) bestowed on some Généraux de division (Divisional General, which is the highest substantive rank) in charge of important commands, such as chief of staff of the army (Chef d'état-major de l'armée de terre) or chiefs of general staff (Chef d'état-major des armées).

A Général d'armée displays five stars on a shoulder board.These numbers of stars should not be compared with the ranks of generals of other NATO countries; the Général d'armée is a NATO "OF-9" rank, denoted in other NATO armies by 4 stars - see Army General.The mention of the current usage of "a sixth star authorized for the Army General in command of the Paris sector" is a legend, this sixth star never existed.The Air Force equivalent is Général d'armée aérienne and the Navy equivalent is Amiral.

Only a Marshal of France (Maréchal de France) is higher; however, Marshal of France is not a rank, but a dignity of the State (dignité dans l'État), today not bestowed. It is considered to be a position of distinction rather than an actual military rank. A seventh star is displayed on the General of the Army insignia by a Marshal of France.

The title of Army General in France and elsewhere should not be confused with the rank of......
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