Pied-Noir (French pronunciation:, "Black-Foot"), plural Pieds-Noirs, is a term primarily referring to people of French and other European origin, who were born in Algeria during the period of French rule from 1830 to 1962, and who "returned" to mainland France as soon as Algeria gained independence, or in the months following.. From the French invasion on 18 June 1830 until its independence ...