François – 19 March 2026 – 15h. Massif des Ecrins.
We are deeply saddened to announce the sudden passing of François Millet. On behalf of the Cryogenics Society of Europe and his colleagues at CEA Grenoble, we share this tribute to honor his life and contributions.
François entered the field of cryogenics in 1994, benefitting from CEA’s athlete promotion program. During this time, he led an active life, balancing international-level kayak training in preparation for the Atlanta Olympics selection with his introduction into cryogenics. His early work included roles in large-scale refrigeration projects such as the design of the ITER and CERN/LHC cooling systems.
François took the opportunity to spend three years at CERN with the enthusiasm of working on this ambitious project in an international environment. His involvement in the procurement and testing of the 1.8 K units gave him the chance him to see a project through from inception to operation. This experience inspired and shaped his career.
Returning to Grenoble and CEA in 2008, François continued to be active in many innovative projects including laser cooling, CERN projects such as FCC and HL-LHC, and mixed-gas cooling technologies. He was instrumental in the project of a demonstrator for the ITER shattered pellet injection system for the disruption mitigation system.
For those who knew him, François was deeply loyal to his organizations, promoting practice to encourage excellence and with a focus on transmission of knowledge encouraging discussion with more experienced colleagues and promoting younger talents.
Beyond his professional achievements, François remained an avid sports enthusiast. After his kayaking career, he embraced endurance and mountain activities. It is a comfort to know he enjoyed his passion until the end, ski touring in the Ecrins’ scenery in the French Alps.
Francois has been a valued member of the CSE board since 2023. During his time on the board, he was highly engaged, contributing actively through numerous initiatives, constructive feedback, and a strong commitment to advancing the society’s activities. As we prepare for the upcoming ECD 2026 in Grenoble—a conference to which François, in his role as Chair, devoted significant time organizing and promoting—we are committed to honouring his vision and organizing it in the manner he would have wanted.
We present our condolences to his wife, Cécile, and to his children, Marie and Antoine. The funeral will be held on Saturday, March 28th in La Tronche. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne (PGHM).
The CSE Board and François’ colleagues at CEA – DBST, Grenoble
