A graduate from the École des Langues Orientales (Inalco), François Georgeon was an assistant in contemporary history at the University of Tunis from 1971 to 1975 and a scientific resident at the French Institute of Anatolian Studies in Istanbul from 1976 to 79.
For several years he was director of the Center for Turkish History (UMR 8032, CNRS-EHESS-Collège de France), renamed the "Centre d’études turques, ottomanes, balkaniques et asiatiques" (Cetobac).
They cover a rich range of subjects going from sultan Abdülhamid II's biography to cultural history, like alcoholic drinks, the satirical press or the feast of Ramadan.
He has been a member of the editorial board of the journal Turcica since 1981 and has conducted many doctoral theses at the EHESS and at Inalco as director of research at the CNRS.
Along with numerous books and articles, he produced the documentary film Le Paris des Jeunes Turcs (45 minutes, 2008, directed by François Georgeon and Philippe Kergraisse).