François de Paule Bretonneau (31 October 1660 – 22 May 1741) was a French preacher, librettist and new-Latin operas playwright.
After he entered the novitiate 14 September 1675, Bretonneau became known as a preacher and for four years was an officer of the Professed House of the Jesuits of Paris.
The Analyses he made of the Discours of which he was the editor are accurate, clear, precise and appropriate to give young Christian orators the idea of a well-coordinated plan and well filled by the chain of evidence.
From Bretonneau we still have Réflexions chrétiennes pour les jeunes gens qui entrent dans le monde, in-12.
Bretonneau authored Celse martyr, tragédie en musique (lost) as well as the libretto of the opera in one prologue and five acts David et Jonathas H.490 by Marc-Antoine Charpentier.