Abstract : Over the last fifty years, French public authorities have played a major role in developing a policy for scientific and technical information (STI) in France. Four distinct periods can be identified. During the first from 1955 to 1973, policy was dominated by de Gaulle's concern to combat American hegemony and, since that time, STI policy has always been considered a part of French global politics. The second period from 1973 to 1982 saw the construction of the national STI infrastructure which was followed by a focus on content and database coordination up to 1993. Since that date, France's policy has been marked by the deregulation of telecommunications and the privatization of public services. The question addressed in this paper concerns the current role of public authorities in preparing French society for active participation in the knowledge society.