President Sarkozy and the Prince of Wales laid wreaths to remember the dead, who are buried in a field of 15,000 graves.
At 1111 (1011 GMT) a silence was observed, in remembrance of when at the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month the Armistice Treaty had been passed to bring an end to the war.
The silence was followed by a sombre procession and President Sarkozy lit a memorial flame, whilst a male choir sang the French national anthem.
Other remembrance ceremonies were held in Australia and in the UK.
