François Cornileau, the elected official shaking things up
Aged 49, married to Élise and father of two born in Hyères, François Cornileau embodies an assertive right-wing committed to Hyères. He advocates...
Observers and actors in public life already consider him a key candidate for the 2026 municipal elections. His objective? To lead a broad unity list of the right and center.
But above all, the man is a unifying figure. Perceived as endearing and sincere, a fervent supporter of teamwork, he defends collegial decisions and takes responsibility. These are essential qualities to unite people widely around his project.
In this regard, he has a long-standing and sincere passion for Hyères. It was in 1980 that his parents, accompanied by their four boys, settled in Hyères, following the transfer of his father, a philosophy teacher at the lycée Jean Aicard. But his roots in Hyères go back to the Second World War: his maternal grandfather, born in Oran and an air force pilot, settled in Toulon, in an apartment belonging to Jean L'Herminier, Commander of the submarine Casabianca, which managed to escape during the scuttling of the fleet on November 27, 1942.
This was followed by his departure for the Army of North Africa in Tunisia and Algeria, where he joined the air reconnaissance group II/33 alongside Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. An echoing destiny: François would later head the Saint-Exupéry elementary school in Hyères (2010-2016), before becoming assistant principal of the collège Jean L'Herminier in La Seyne-sur-Mer.
His life is marked by a local and educational background. A student at the école Anatole France, the collège Jules Ferry, then the lycée Jean Aicard, he knows the city perfectly. His career in national education—as a school teacher and school head—led him to work in many establishments of the Métropole TPM.
Today Principal of the collège d'Ollioules, he was also posted in Saint-Mandrier. An undeniable field knowledge.
A MAN OF COMMITMENTS President of a cultural association that organized Médiévales au Château des Anglades and numerous philosophy cafés, member of the board of the Tour Hyéroise, the city's historic chess club, François Cornileau has invested himself wherever the debate of ideas had a place. His children, Juliette and Raphaël, trained at the Tour Hyéroise, became French club vice-champions in 2020 alongside 6 other young people from Hyères. Juliette, several times French champion and European medalist, has just been crowned senior European vice-champion with the French team.
Hyères in his heart, excellence in his veins.
He also expresses a long-standing political commitment. A civil servant passionate about public service, he could have become an officer after his preparation at the military high school in Aix. He chose politics in 1998, at age 22, with the MPF of Philippe de Villiers and Bruno Retailleau. He met his wife there in 2001.
Président d’une association culturelle ayant organisé des Médiévales au Château des Anglades et de nombreux cafés philo, membre du bureau de la Tour Hyéroise, club d’échecs historique de la ville, François Cornileau s’est investi partout où le débat d’idées avait sa place. Ses enfants, Juliette et Raphaël, formés à la Tour Hyéroise, deviennent vice-champions de France des clubs en 2020 avec 6 autres jeunes hyérois. Juliette, plusieurs fois championne de France, médaillée européenne, vient d’être sacrée vicechampionne d’Europe senior avec l’équipe de France. Hyères dans le cœur, l’excellence dans les veines. Il exprime aussi un engagement politique de longue date. Fonctionnaire passionné par le service public, il aurait pu devenir officier après sa préparation au lycée militaire d’Aix. Il choisit la politique en 1998, à 22 ans, au MPF de Philippe de Villiers et Bruno Retailleau. Il y rencontre son épouse en 2001. Candidat aux législatives (2002, 2007), aux européennes (2004), il y réalise dans le Var le meilleur score régional. Puis, il est identifié comme étant le leader varois du « Non de droite » à la constitution européenne en 2005. Avec un grand succès puisque plus de 57% des Varois votent contre cet abandon de souveraineté nationale. À Hyères, il est candidat MPF aux municipales 2008 dans une union avec le MoDem, puis aux cantonales de 2011 avec Lucette Ritondale, fille de Léopold, maire emblématique de la ville de 1983 à 2008. En 2014, il est élu avec Jean-Pierre Giran (alors député UMP) et devient conseiller municipal délégué puis adjoint à l’urbanisme réglementaire et au foncier en 2020.
A candidate in the legislative (2002, 2007) and European (2004) elections, he achieved the best regional score in Var. Then, he was identified as the Var leader of the "Right-wing No" to the European constitution in 2005. With great success, as more than 57% of Var residents voted against this abandonment of national sovereignty.
In Hyères, he was an MPF candidate in the 2008 municipal elections in union with the MoDem, then in the 2011 cantonal elections with Lucette Ritondale, daughter of Léopold, the city's emblematic mayor from 1983 to 2008. In 2014, he was elected alongside Jean-Pierre Giran (then a UMP deputy) and became delegated municipal councilor, then deputy for regulatory urban planning and land in 2020.
UNION OF THE PEOPLE OF HYÈRES François Cornileau has never changed course. Loyalty and consistency above all. When the MPF disappeared, he followed Bruno Retailleau to Les Républicains, where he became a national councilor.
In 2024, he chose—consistency again, loyalty always—to join the then LR president, Éric Ciotti, who opposed the so-called "republican" front and created the Union des Droites pour la République (UDR). His friend Julien Argento, departmental president of the new party and alternate deputy to Laure Lavalette, appointed him to the bureau politique du Var as delegate for the 3rd constituency. Shortly afterwards, he founded the Union des Hyérois, a movement rallying the right and center for Hyères 2026.
François Cornileau also wants to instill a civic dynamic. Thus, membership in the Union des Hyérois is free, open to all those who want to build an ambitious project for Hyères. His objectives are to strengthen citizen participation, promote sustainable and human development in the city, and organize debates, meetings, and events.
The UDH brings together elected officials, entrepreneurs, healthcare workers, athletes, civil servants, and cultural actors: a reflection of Hyères society in all its diversity.
With a clear project. He advocates a program built around three pillars: security, attractiveness, proximity. His numerous supporters, his experience as a local elected official, his knowledge of the territory, his civic involvement, and his solid convictions make him a serious candidate for 2026.
Photos Philippe OLIVIER.