The First Division was led in 1805 by Pierre Dupont de l'Étang and participated in the Napoleonic Wars, including the Russian campaign and the Battle of Waterloo.

At the start of the Franco-Prussian War, the Division was led by Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot and suffered a defeat at the Battle of Wissembourg (1870).

At the beginning of the First World War, it was mobilized in the 1st Military Region and formed part of the 1st Army Corps from August 1914 to November 1918.

In 1935, it was reformed into the 1st Motorised Infantry Division (1st DIM) and fought as such in the Battle of France, after which it was disbanded on 10 June 1940.

From November 1944, the division was reconstituted in Bourges (France) from former elements of the French forces of the interior (FFI) from the Lille region.