French diplomatist, born at Baye (Marne) on the 20th of April 1845. Educated at the École Normale Supérieure, he taught for some years in the lycée at Algiers before he joined the diplomatic service in 1871. His most important mission was in 1884, when he was sent as French minister to China to regularize the French dominion in Annam. After arranging at Hué with the king of Annam the condition of the French protectorate, he proceeded to Shanghai to settle with China the difficulties which had arisen over the evacuation of Tongking by the Chinese troops. The negotiation failed, and the French admiral resumed hostilities against China in August. Next year Patenôtre signed with Li Hung Chang a treaty of peace at Tien-tsin, by which the French protectorate in Annam and Tongking was recognized, and both parties agreed to remain within their own borders in the future. After serving as minister plenipotentiary in Morocco (1888–1891), M. Patenôtre was sent to Washington, where he was raised to the rank of ambassador in 1893. He was ambassador at Madrid from 1897 to 1902.
Pierre Loti in Au Maroc has described his diplomacy in Morocco. M. Patenôtre himself published some reminiscences in the Revue des deux mondes.
