That dollar metric results from a 30.9% increase from $478.3 billion five years earlier in 2020.
Year over year, the overall value of goods exported from France fell -1.8% compared to $637.7 billion for 2023.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, France uses the euro which flatlined via a 0.02% gain against the US dollar from 2023 to 2024. The slightly stronger European Union currency made France’s exports paid for in weaker US dollars modestly more expensive for international buyers.
France’s 5 biggest export products by value in 2024 were aircraft including spacecraft, medication mixes in dosage, cars, turbojets, and automotive parts or accessories. In aggregate, those major exports accounted for 20.7% of overall exports sales from France. The commodities themselves suggest a relatively diversified range of exported goods.
France ranks number one for exporting wine, ranks among world-leading nations for aircraft parts and is a major competitor for medications and other pharmaceutical shipments.
France’s Best International Trade Customers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 69.2% of products exported from France was bought by importers in: Germany (13.3% of the French total), Italy (8.3%), United States of America (8.1%), Belgium (7.8%), Spain (7.5%), United Kingdom (6.4%), mainland China (4.1%), Netherlands (4%), Switzerland (3.4%), Poland (2.6%), Türkiye (2.1%) and Japan (1.6%).
From a continental perspective, 65.6% of France’s exports by value was delivered to fellow European countries while 17.3% was sold to importers in Asia. France shipped another 9.5% worth of goods to buyers in North America.
Smaller percentages went to customers in Africa (4.9%), Latin America (1.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean then Oceania (1%) led by Australia.
In addition, note that 54.5% of France’s exports sold in 2024 were bought by countries that are also members of the European Union. That percentage lags the 55.9% for 2025.
Given France’s population of 66.1 million people, its total $626.2 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $9,500 for every resident in the European Union member nation. That per-capita metric lags the average $9,600 one year earlier in 2023.
France’s Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in French global shipments during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from France.
- Machinery including computers: US$73.4 billion (11.7% of total exports)
- Vehicles: $55.4 billion (8.9%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $46.6 billion (7.4%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $40.1 billion (6.4%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $38.8 billion (6.2%)
- Perfumes, cosmetics: $27.5 billion (4.4%)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $25.7 billion (4.1%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $23.1 billion (3.7%)
- Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $21.1 billion (3.4%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $18.3 billion (2.9%)
France’s top 10 export product categories generated 59.1% of the overall value of its global shipments.
Perfumes and cosmetics represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 6.9% since 2023.
The only other category to record improving export sales was pharmaceuticals via its 1.9% advance.
The leading decliner among France’s top 10 export categories was mineral fuels including oil which fell -16.9% year over year.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section below.
Searchable List of France’s Most Valuable Export Products
The following searchable table displays 100 of the most in-demand goods shipped from France during 2024. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2023.
| Rank | France's Export Product | Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $30,630,626,000 | +0.5% |
| 2 | Medication mixes in dosage | $27,410,021,000 | +2% |
| 3 | Cars | $22,600,280,000 | -8.2% |
| 4 | Turbo-jets | $21,898,190,000 | +5.7% |
| 5 | Automobile parts/accessories | $13,772,253,000 | -7.3% |
| 6 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $13,172,576,000 | +2.4% |
| 7 | Wine | $12,651,024,000 | -2.4% |
| 8 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $12,198,645,000 | +1.7% |
| 9 | Processed petroleum oils | $10,214,975,000 | -0.4% |
| 10 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $9,535,735,000 | +0.7% |
| 11 | Trucks | $9,475,425,000 | -8.4% |
| 12 | Aircraft or spacecraft parts | $9,336,821,000 | -2.6% |
| 13 | Perfumes, toilet waters | $8,618,333,000 | +13.3% |
| 14 | Jewelry | $7,393,457,000 | +8.2% |
| 15 | Petroleum gases | $7,268,867,000 | -36.3% |
| 16 | Electrical energy | $6,384,703,000 | -13% |
| 17 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $6,140,147,000 | -36.6% |
| 18 | Tractors | $5,822,952,000 | -10.4% |
| 19 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $5,562,665,000 | +3.9% |
| 20 | Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs) | $5,214,610,000 | -6.7% |
| 21 | Cheese, curd | $4,289,717,000 | +2.7% |
| 22 | Electro-medical equipment (e.g. xrays) | $4,009,238,000 | +0.9% |
| 23 | Wheat | $3,714,104,000 | -6.7% |
| 24 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $3,645,480,000 | -1.9% |
| 25 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $3,619,287,000 | +1.9% |
| 26 | Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides | $3,547,604,000 | -13.9% |
| 27 | Gold (unwrought) | $3,541,771,000 | +42.5% |
| 28 | Scents used for beverage or industrial manufacturing | $3,404,983,000 | +10.9% |
| 29 | Insulated wire/cable | $3,404,068,000 | +3.6% |
| 30 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $3,279,063,000 | +1.2% |
| 31 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $3,221,892,000 | -3.9% |
| 32 | Radioactive chemical elements | $3,163,073,000 | +66.8% |
| 33 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $3,156,579,000 | +4.3% |
| 34 | Heterocyclics, nucleic acids | $3,153,766,000 | -47.3% |
| 35 | Phone system devices | $3,128,508,000 | -11% |
| 36 | Flour/meal/starch/malt extract food preparations | $2,971,389,000 | +11.1% |
| 37 | Footwear (leather) | $2,967,333,000 | +0.4% |
| 38 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $2,932,839,000 | -1.6% |
| 39 | Electric motors, generators | $2,821,309,000 | +12.6% |
| 40 | Rubber tires (new) | $2,801,469,000 | +1.5% |
| 41 | Engines (diesel) | $2,757,266,000 | -3.8% |
| 42 | Women's clothing (not knit or crochet) | $2,672,086,000 | +4.8% |
| 43 | Iron or steel scrap | $2,584,672,000 | -4.5% |
| 44 | Computers, optical readers | $2,515,029,000 | -0.03% |
| 45 | Anti-knock/oxidation/gum inhibitors | $2,452,008,000 | +8.7% |
| 46 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $2,448,080,000 | -6.6% |
| 47 | Air or vacuum pumps | $2,432,836,000 | +4% |
| 48 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $2,431,676,000 | +4% |
| 49 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $2,425,158,000 | +10.9% |
| 50 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $2,297,079,000 | -1.9% |
| 51 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $2,290,107,000 | -0.7% |
| 52 | Electrical converters/power units | $2,285,338,000 | +9.8% |
| 53 | Cruise/cargo ships, barges | $2,267,517,000 | +3.8% |
| 54 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $2,244,465,000 | +9.8% |
| 55 | Aluminum plates, sheets, strips | $2,239,236,000 | +4.5% |
| 56 | Other food preparations | $2,196,393,000 | -3% |
| 57 | Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet) | $2,115,710,000 | -0.4% |
| 58 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $2,112,913,000 | +8.5% |
| 59 | Orthopedic appliances | $2,079,528,000 | -1.4% |
| 60 | Flat-rolled other alloy steel products | $2,024,199,000 | -16.7% |
| 61 | Other organic cleaning preparations | $2,015,195,000 | -5.7% |
| 62 | Machinery parts | $1,999,554,000 | -15% |
| 63 | Footwear (textile) | $1,938,115,000 | -4.4% |
| 64 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $1,928,017,000 | -14% |
| 65 | Chocolate, other cocoa preparations | $1,910,533,000 | +10.4% |
| 66 | Refrigerators, freezers | $1,900,514,000 | -5.9% |
| 67 | Live bovine cattle | $1,892,350,000 | +6.2% |
| 68 | Fork-lift trucks | $1,890,362,000 | +7.6% |
| 69 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $1,887,380,000 | +9.7% |
| 70 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $1,882,314,000 | +10.8% |
| 71 | Corn | $1,858,031,000 | -7.7% |
| 72 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators) | $1,816,842,000 | -18.1% |
| 73 | Miscellaneous machinery | $1,772,485,000 | -1.2% |
| 74 | Propylene/olefin polymers | $1,759,910,000 | -0.4% |
| 75 | Miscellaneous furniture | $1,722,183,000 | +7.1% |
| 76 | Ethylene polymers | $1,701,927,000 | +0.3% |
| 77 | Regulate/control instruments | $1,696,323,000 | -4.8% |
| 78 | Electric storage batteries | $1,631,465,000 | +1% |
| 79 | Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches | $1,628,826,000 | -1.1% |
| 80 | Ball, roller bearings | $1,627,739,000 | -7.1% |
| 81 | Piston engine parts | $1,626,377,000 | +1.4% |
| 82 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $1,624,378,000 | +5.3% |
| 83 | Yachts, other pleasure/sports vessels | $1,613,922,000 | -8.6% |
| 84 | Sugar (cane or beet) | $1,603,549,000 | +19.8% |
| 85 | Copper waste, scrap | $1,561,706,000 | +18.1% |
| 86 | Temperature-change machines | $1,555,072,000 | -1.2% |
| 87 | Hair preparations | $1,516,779,000 | +9.5% |
| 88 | Vinyl chloride polymers | $1,505,259,000 | -11.9% |
| 89 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $1,495,689,000 | -3.6% |
| 90 | Acrylic polymers | $1,469,579,000 | +2.6% |
| 91 | Vulcanized rubber items | $1,433,133,000 | +0.2% |
| 92 | T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet) | $1,414,225,000 | +1.3% |
| 93 | Barley | $1,396,605,000 | -32.2% |
| 94 | Potatoes | $1,395,221,000 | +27.1% |
| 95 | Electrical machinery | $1,386,486,000 | +32% |
| 96 | Printing machinery | $1,377,515,000 | +1.9% |
| 97 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $1,373,253,000 | +0.2% |
| 98 | Wrist/pocket watches (no precious metal case) | $1,369,687,000 | -6.2% |
| 99 | Coffee | $1,343,854,000 | +5.6% |
| 100 | Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): | $1,334,228,000 | -5.2% |
These 100 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$419.5 billion or must over two-thirds (67%) by value for all products exported from France during 2024.
Products Creating Trade Surpluses for France
The following types of French product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Aircraft, spacecraft: US$26.5 billion (Down by -3.2% since 2023)
- Perfumes, cosmetics: $18.7 billion (Up by 7%)
- Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $14.7 billion (Down by -4%)
- Leather/animal gut articles: $8.6 billion (Up by 5%)
- Cereals: $6 billion (Down by -14.5%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $5.9 billion (Up by 239%)
- Gems, precious metals: $3 billion (Up by 78.2%)
- Live animals: $2.4 billion (Up by 9.5%)
- Dairy, eggs, honey: $2.26 billion (Down by -1.1%)
- Other chemical goods: $2.23 billion (Up by 2.4%)
France has highly positive net exports in the international trade of aerospace products. In turn, these cashflows indicate France’s strong competitive advantages under the aircraft and spacecraft product category.
Products Causing Trade Deficits for France
France incurred an overall -US$113.1 billion trade deficit in 2024, shrinking by -19.1% from -$139.7 billion in red ink one year earlier in 2023.
Below are exports from France that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country France’s goods trail French importer spending on foreign products.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US-$62.4 billion (Down by -18.3% since 2023)
- Vehicles: -$24.6 billion (Down by -9.7%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -$19.4 billion (Down by -3.2%)
- Machinery including computers: -$16.4 billion (Down by -0.4%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: -$8 billion (Down by -2.7%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$5.9 billion (Down by -3.3%)
- Fruits, nuts: -$5.07 billion (Up by 3.4%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$5.07 billion (Down by -2.1%)
- Fish: -$4.21 billion (Down by -1.6%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): -$4.2 billion (Up by 0.2%)
France has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for mineral fuels-related resources, historically for crude and refined oils, petroleum gases and coal.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate France’s competitive disadvantages in the international fuel market, but also represent key opportunities for France to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations especially in alternative energy sources.
France’s Major Export Companies
France placed roughly 70 companies in the Forbes Global 2000 rankings. The following companies are examples of world-leading French companies.
- Air Liquide (specialized chemicals)
- Christian Dior (clothing, accessories)
- Danone (food processing)
- EADS (aerospace)
- Michelin Group (automotive parts)
- Pernod Ricard (beverages)
- Renault (cars, trucks)
- Safran (aerospace)
- Saint-Gobain (construction materials)
- Sanofi (pharmaceuticals)
- Schneider Electric (electrical equipment)
- Total (oil, gas)
Global trade intelligence firm Zepol lists the following smaller French exporters. Selected examples are shown below.
- Hesnault (wines, jams, cheese)
- Mane Fils (aromatic materials)
- Transityre France (latex, transmission belts, vehicle tires)
In macroeconomic terms, France’s total exported goods represent 14.4% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2024 ($4.359 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 14.4% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2024 lags the 16.4% for 2023. Those percentages suggest a relatively decreasing reliance on products sold on international markets for France’s total economic performance, albeit that premise is based on a very short timeframe.
Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. France’s unemployment rate averaged 7.357% for 2024, up from an average 7.35% one year earlier according to International Monetary Fund statistics.
France’s capital city is Paris.
See also France’s Top 10 Imports, France’s Top Trading Partners and France’s Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on March 4, 2025
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on March 4, 2025
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on March 4, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 4, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on March 4, 2025
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on March 4, 2025
SHIPHUB, HS Code for Food. Accessed on March 4, 2025
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on March 4, 2025
Wikipedia, List of Companies of France. Accessed on March 4, 2025
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on March 4, 2025
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: Euro to US Dollar (monthly average 2024). Accessed on March 4, 2025
Zepol’s company summary highlights by country. Accessed on March 4, 2025