Most typical is the presence of African athletes from the Françafrique region.
Both championships were held on the road, bar a one-off 50 km track walk in 1981.
The pentathlon was replaced as the standard women's combined event by the heptathlon in 1980.
From 1973 to 1976, the women's 5000 metres walk did not have sanction as an official French Championship race.
From 1979 to 1982, and after 2003, the women's 10 kilometres walk did not have sanction as an official French Championship race.