French inflation holds at 2.4% as energy costs diverge from eurozone trend

France’s consumer price inflation held steady at 2.4% year-on-year between July 2025 and July 2026, according to Eurostat data.

The figure places France as the third-lowest inflation rate in the eurozone, a notable outlier given the broader regional trend of accelerating price pressures.

2% in May, fueled by a surge in energy expenses, France has managed to contain the pass-through to consumers.

The divergence stems largely from how French households are insulated from the sharp rise in energy costs that has driven eurozone-wide inflation higher.

While the broader bloc saw consumer prices accelerate to 3.2% in May, fueled by a surge in energy expenses, France has managed to contain the pass-through to consumers.

This structural difference has allowed the French headline rate to remain subdued even as global oil and power prices have escalated.

The contrast underscores a growing split within the single currency area.