Considerable changes of the blast furnace have occurred during the last 250 years including technology changes (dimensions, ancillaries, charging, casting) as well as operating parameters (fuels, ores, blast temperatures, productivity). Such evolutions have led to a better description of the reactor through internal measurements and more and more precise heat and mass balances and to the formulation of the final blast furnace theory in the late fifties. From the 17th to the 20th century, a number of Scientists have brought their contributions to the blast furnace theory up until the final paradigm shift in the fifties. This paper highlights French contributions to this scientific history, in relation with the advances of blast furnace theory in other countries.