Some fencers are in awe when receiving their first pistol-grip weapon. But it’s important to understand that a pistol grip is not a “promotion,” and being kept on a French grip is not a lack of progress!

A number of Olympic-level épée fencers have used the French grip, including Olympic champions and medalists. It is much more common in épée than in foil.

Notable Olympic épée fencers using a French grip

How to decide?

Trust your coach!
Start on whatever your club starts you on (usually French for beginners, and always French in the youth programs).

The difference
A pistol grip locks your hand into one strong, fixed position, providing more blade control and strength for close bladework.
A French grip is a straight handle with a pommel, less locked-in strength, but it gives the advantage of several inches of extra reach, which is why a whole school of épée fencers stays French forever and wins by fingertip.

When to switch to pistol: when your coach says your point control is ready, and once your fingers (not your wrist or arm) are doing the bladework. Switching too early hides sloppy technique behind grip strength.

When to stay French: if you’re an épéeist who likes distance games, counterattacks to the wrist, and defensive fencing, the long-French-grip style is a genuine competitive identity, not a beginner phase.

Cannone is probably the best modern example: he won Olympic gold in Tokyo using a French grip. Contemporary fencing discussions also specifically identify Cannone, Jung, Grumier, Minobe and others as high-level French-grip épéeists.

Particularly interesting examples

Romain Cannone
Romain Cannone is perhaps the most useful athlete to study if you’re looking at French-grip fencing today. His style makes excellent use of distance, point control, counterattacks, and changes of distance rather than relying heavily on powerful blade actions.

Jung Jin-sun
Jung Jin-sun is another excellent technical model. He is frequently cited by épée fencers as a particularly good French-grip example.

Gauthier Grumier
Gauthier Grumier is especially interesting for studying French-grip blade work combined with extremely precise disengages.

Philippe Riboud
Philippe Riboud is an older-school example. His extended French-grip technique and ability to use the extra reach at very high level are particularly noteworthy. Historical sources specifically identify Riboud among the relatively small number of world-class French-grip épéeists.

Why the French grip can work at the Olympic level

The main advantage is reach and point control. A French grip allows the fencer to “post” or hold the weapon farther toward the pommel, effectively increasing reach and making certain counterattacks, remises and attacks to advanced targets easier. The trade-off is less leverage for powerful beats and parries.

This is why French-grip épée tends to favor:

• 🎯 Point precision
• 📏 Distance management
• ⚡ Counterattacks and stop hits
• 🦶 Foot/leg touches
• 🔄 Remises
• 🤺 Absence-of-blade fencing
• 🖐️ Wrist/forearm attacks
• 📐 Posting/pommeling for additional reach

And importantly, the French grip is absolutely legal at the highest level; USA Fencing’s current equipment rules specifically address French-grip épée handles and set a maximum length of 20 cm.

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See here the general equipment requirements for competitions sanctioned by the USA Fencing Association, for all weapons

Uniforms – standard fencing uniform is required at regional events (jacket, pants, knee-high socks, fencing glove).​

• No item can have any rips, tears, or holes​
• Warmup pants are not allowed in competition​
• Fencing glove must cover the lower half of the forearm​
• Tape cannot be used to cover holes on gloves​
• 800 N requirement for saber must be enforced​
• Names are not required on uniforms at regional tournaments​

 

Plastrons – standard fencing plastrons (underarm protectors) are required with every uniform and for all regional tournaments​

Chest Protector – chest protectors are required for female fencers. For foil, any chest protector, male or female, must have the approved neoprene layer. ​

Mask ​

• A 12K punch test is required on all masks being used at a regional tournament. ​
• sewn in bib visual inspections​
• Masks cannot have any rips, tears or holes in the bib​
• All rivets must be installed​
• Covering over the welds must be present and installed so it will not catch a blade​
• Conductive bib in foil is required​
• Retrofit conductive bibs must be installed such that they will not catch a blade​
• Masks are tested for conductivity of 5 ohms or less with no dead areas​
• If tabs are present, they must be conductive – if they are not conductive, they must be removed​
• Tabs are not required​
• Elastic strap at back of mask is required and must be tight enough to prevent the mask from falling off​

 

Lame (foil/sabre)– must be tested for conductivity of 5 ohms or less with no dead areas. Lames must not have any rips, tears or holes or loose seams​

Body/Mask Cord (foil/sabre) – must be tested for continuity and conductivity of 1 ohm or less per line. Clips must be visibly soldered and free of corrosion. ​

Weapon Handle – Any attachment to a weapon’s handle must fix the hand in one position such that the top of the thumb is no more than 2 cm from the inner surface of the guard. French grip epee handles shall not exceed 20 cm in length when measured from the front of the guard to the end of the pommel nut