FRENCH Characters
See also: http://www.as.wvu.edu/mlastinger/keyboard/default.htm

Using the Alt key: Hold the Alt key and type the the numbers on the numeric key pad:

Alternate Key ASCI codes:  these tables allow you to type French accented characters on any Windows computer without special installation.  Since there are so many accented characters in French, the tables are progressive from critical to comprehensive.  On a regular Windows keyboard simply hold the Alt key and type the numbers.  On most laptops, hold the Alt key and the function key (usually blue) while typing the numbers on the embedded numeric keys (with the small blue numbers, the J = 1, for example).

Critical: the five  most often used:

é 130 è 138 ç 135 Ç 128 à 133 ù 151

Essential:  lowercase  (Except for Ç, capitals in French  need no accents).

à 133 â 131 ç 135 / Ç 128 é 130
è 138 ê 136 ë 137 î 140
ï 139 ô 147 û 150 ù 151

By accent:

Aigu: é 130 Grave: à 133, è 138, ù 151
Cédille: ç 135 Circonflexe: â 131, ê 136, î 140, ô 147, û 150

Useful: the above tables with ligatured "oe" and "OE" plus guillemets, with four digit codes in parentheses:

à 133 (0224) â 131 (0226) ç 135 (0231) é 130 (0233) « 174 (0171)
è 138 (0232) ê 136  (0234) ë 137 (0235) î 140 (0238) » 175 (0187)
ï 139 (0239) ô 147 (0244) û 150 (0251) ù 151 (0249) œ  (0156) ; Œ  (0140)

Complete:  all the special characters for French, lower case first.

à 133 (0224) â 131 (0226) ç 135 (0231) é 130 (0233) è 138 (0232) ê 136 (0234) ë 137 (0235)
î 140 (0238) ï 139 (0239) œ  (0156) ô 147 (0244) ù 151 (0249) û 150 (0251) À 183 (0192)
 182 (0194) Ç 128 (0199) È 212 (0200) É 144 (0201) Ê 210 (0202) Ë 211 (0203) Î 215 (0206)
Ï 216 (0207) Œ  (0140) Ô 226 (0212) Ù 235 (0217) Û 234 (0219) Û 234 (0219) Û 234 (0219)
« 174 (0171) » 175 (0187)