France’s economic momentum reversed in the third quarter of 2026, with gross domestic product (GDP) declining by 0.1% year-over-year, according to data updated on 30 October 2026. The contraction follows a comparatively strong second quarter, when GDP expanded by 0.5% year-over-year.
The data highlight a clear slowdown: while the previous reading for the second quarter of 2026 showed the French economy growing at a modest but positive pace, the latest figures signal a move into negative territory on an annual basis. The year-over-year comparison measures how the third quarter of 2026 performed against the same quarter a year earlier, while the earlier figure reflected the second quarter’s performance against its year-ago level.
This shift from 0.5% growth to a 0.1% contraction suggests weakening underlying activity through mid-2026, raising concerns about the durability of France’s expansion and the broader outlook heading into the final quarter of the year.