Perfumes, makeup and jewelry also made the top rankings. This is not surprising, given that France attracts many tourists and is considered a world leader in the global fashion industry.
The following list shows which French exports generated the most money in sales during 2017. Unlike most information currently available on the web, the items below are detailed at the 4-digit tariff code level.
This level of granularity can help entrepreneurs identify precisely which products in which France has strong competitive advantages over other nations — and where there are potential opportunities.
For the most recent four-digit HTS code data, please see the Searchable List of France’s Most Valuable Exports Products section in the France’s Top 10 Exports article. For a link to that article, see the See also paragraph above Research Sources below.
Highest Value French Export Products
Below are the 20 highest value export products shipped from France in 2017. Shown within brackets for each item is the percentage change in value year over year.
- Aircraft, spacecraft: US$44.2 billion (down -3.3% since 2016)
- Medication mixes in dosage: $24.4 billion (up 7.2%)
- Cars: $22.1 billion (up 20.4%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $15.5 billion (up 5.3%)
- Turbo-jets: $12.5 billion (up 8.1%)
- Wine: $10.3 billion (up 13%)
- Processed petroleum oils: $8.8 billion (up 24.7%)
- Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations: $8.6 billion (up 18.2%)
- Aircraft parts: $7.3 billion (down -3.2%)
- Trucks: $7.2 billion (up 12.9%)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $6.7 billion (down -1.1%)
- Cases, handbags, wallets: $6.7 billion (up 12.5%)
- Blood fractions (including antisera): $5.5 billion (up 0.1%)
- Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs): $5 billion (up 9%)
- Jewelry: $5 billion (up 6.8%)
- Phone system devices including smartphones: $5 billion (up 11.4%)
- Perfumes, toilet waters: $4.8 billion (up 13.8%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $4.5 billion (up 7.3%)
- Engines (diesel): $3.8 billion (down -16%)
- Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides: $3.5 billion (up 5.6%)
Among these lucrative French exports, processed petroleum oils posted the fastest gain in value up 24.7% year over year. French-made cars placed second with a 20.4% improvement, followed by the beauty, makeup and skin care preparations subcategory (up 18.2%). Exported perfumes and toilet waters appreciated 13.8% since 2016.
Overall, France’s exported products increased in value by an average 6.9% from 2016 to 2017.
See also France’s Top 10 Imports, France’s Top 10 Exports and France’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on February 13, 2018
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on February 13, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on February 13, 2018