Translator · Historian — Milan, for clients worldwide
Into French —
with a historian’s eye.
From Milan, I work with companies, publishers and institutions around the world: translating English, Italian and German into French, and bringing a historian’s rigour to every project that touches the past.
1997
Living and working in Italy
2
Books on the French army in Italy, 1917–1918
EN·IT·DE
Source languages, translated into French
What I do
Two crafts, one standard of precision.
Translations
English, Italian and German into French, written by a native speaker who knows your sector.
- Automotive & motorsport
- Art, architecture & publishing
- Military history & defence
- Institutions, NGOs & tourism
Historical consulting
Research, expert review and fact-checking on the First World War and military history, for publishers, museums, producers and model-kit makers.
- Historical research in French and Italian archives
- Expert review & proofreading
- Scale-model instructions and photography
They trusted me
Testimonials
They say it better than I do.
It is always a pleasure to work with François-Xavier, who brings rigour, intelligence and a deep command of his subject to everything he does. His demand for precision in writing, combined with the fluency of his translations, makes his contributions a valuable asset for any multilingual publication.
Élizabeth de Bertier
Tornabuoni Art
“Wonderful! Great job with these lines, that’s actually a great idea, I will discuss with the other translators and see if we can apply it across all of the languages.”
Carmen Salomón
Senior Language Manager, Resonance · extract from an email
Working with François-Xavier is always “Fast and Curious”. We can rely on deep understanding of industries, idiomatic terms, and full reliability, for high-quality translations to our demanding clients.
G. M.
Managing Director of a public relations agency
Recent work
From the Venice Biennale to motorsport books.
My Driving Seasons
French version of a book on Omar Alfardan’s car collection
Picasso, Morandi, Parmiggiani. Still Lifes
French version of the catalogue for an exhibition at the Venice Biennale
Roma è una cometa
Proofreading of the French version; coordination of the English, Spanish and German proofreading
Published
The French in Italy, 1917–1918
Two volumes, co-written with Alberto Caselli Lapeschi, on the French army’s forgotten campaign on the Italian front.
- I Francesi in Italia, giugno 1917 – giugno 1918 · SSGB / Ravizza Editore · 2024
- I Francesi in Italia, giugno – novembre 1918 · SSGB / Ravizza Editore · 2025
About
Born in France, at home in Italy.
French and Italian, with degrees in International Relations and Art History from Lyon and Milan. After years as a project manager in localisation, I now work freelance in translation and history. I also teach French at ISPI (Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale), preparing students for the diplomatic exam.
Tell me about your project.
Send me the language pair, the subject and your deadline: I will come back to you with a quote.