Germinal

Miou-Miou

as 'La Maheude'

Renaud

as Étienne Lantier

Jean Carmet

as Vincent Maheu, aka Bonnemort

Judith Henry

as Catherine Maheu

Jean-Roger Milo

as Antoine Chaval

Gérard Depardieu

as Toussaint Maheu

Laurent Terzieff

as Souvarine

Bernard Fresson

as Victor Deneulin

Jean-Pierre Bisson

as Rasseneur

Jacques Dacqmine

as Philippe Hennebeau

Anny Duperey

as Mrs. Hennebeau

Gérard Croce

as Maigrat

Frédéric van den Driessche

as Paul Négrel

Annick Alane

as Mrs. Grégoire

Pierre Lafont

as Léon Grégoire

Thierry Levaret

as Zacharie Maheu

Fred Personne

as Pluchart

Cécile Bois

as Cécile Grégoire

Yolande Moreau

as 'La Levaque'

Maximilien Regiani

as Pierron

Bruno Tuchszer

as Captain of the Guards

Anne-Marie Pisani

as 'La Mouquette'

Fred Ulysse

as Dansaert

André Julien

as Mouque

Albano Guaetta

as Jeanlin Maheu

Georges Staquet

as Levaque

Yvette Petit

as 'La veuve Désir'

Delphine Quentin

as Lucie Deneulin

Alexandrine Loeb

as Jeanne Deneulin

Solenn Jarniou

as Mrs. Rasseneur

Frédérique Ruchaud

as Honorine

Jenny Clève

as Rose

Fernand Kindt

as Company Secretary

André Chaumeau

as Company Cashier

Philippe Desboeuf

as Doctor

Sabrina Deladerière

as Philomène Levaque

Corinne Masiero

as Dancer in a pink dress (uncredited)

Claude Berri

as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)