Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (Composer, The Carnival of the Animals) (1835–1921) was a French composer (a person who writes music) born in Paris. At the age of just two-and-a-half years old he began to study piano and composed his first piano piece at the age of only 3! He began performing publically 7 years later with a big concert in Paris. Not only a talented musician, Saint-Saëns was also a very gifted student. He studied both mathematics and natural sciences, winning first prize at the Conservatorie (a fancy French word for a school). Years later when Saint-Saëns grew-up, he became known as not only a great pianist but also a legendary organist and composer. He said he lived "in music like a fish in water." Maybe that is where he got the idea for The Carnival of the Animals!

Francis Poulenc (Composer, The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant) (1899–1963) was a French composer who was born in Paris and lived and worked in the 1900s. Famous for his piano music, Poulenc did not have any formal music classes until he was almost 22 years old! He played his first music piece in 1917, which sounded very light and new. Around the same time he was part of a group called Les Six, a cool group of six French composers. Poulenc would go on to travel the world, visiting exciting places through-out Europe and the Unites States! After a long and healthy career, Poulenc died peacefully in his hometown of Paris.