Healthy Life Expectancy in France: Reasons for Recent Stagnation

Life expectancy in good health has ceased to improve in France, raising concerns among public health experts. This stagnation prompts questions about healthcare quality, lifestyle factors, and socioeconomic disparities affecting the nation's well-being.

French Longevity Remains Among Europe’s Highest

Fresh statistics from Insee, released in January, reaffirm France’s prominent position in the European landscape of longevity. As of 2025, life expectancy at birth reaches 85.9 years for girls and 80.3 years for boys—figures considered “historically high.” This achievement secures France the second spot in Europe for overall lifespan at age 65, both for women and men.

The Realities Behind Impressive Averages

However, when delving deeper into these averages, a more nuanced picture emerges. Recent findings from DREES, published in early 2026, reveal that while the French are living longer overall, the extension of years spent without significant health limitations—the so-called healthy life expectancy (EVSI)—is progressing at a slower pace. At age 65, men can expect another 10.5 years free from major disability, while women typically have about 11.8 such years ahead. Although this is a positive margin, recent progress has been more modest compared to previous decades.

Narrowing Gender Gap in Healthy Years

The apparent advantage women hold in terms of life expectancy—five years and seven months over men at birth—fades considerably when focusing on healthy years after age 65. The gender difference in EVSI at this stage stands at just five months. Several factors help explain this:

• Women experience more chronic but less deadly illnesses (musculoskeletal issues, anxiety or depression).
• Men face higher rates of severe conditions like heart disease and cancer that impact survival directly.

Over two decades, there has been some improvement: among those aged 65 and over, the share of remaining years lived without incapacity climbed from 45% to 50% for women and from 48% to 53% for men—but progress has clearly slowed.

Comparisons with European Neighbors

On a continental scale, France maintains its lead. Last year’s data showed that French men aged 65 enjoyed an EVSI one year and four months above the European average; for women, this edge extended to two years and five months—placing France third in Europe for female healthy life expectancy at that age.

Living longer is increasingly common across Europe; what remains now is the challenge: ensuring these added years are also lived in good health—a priority clearly on France’s public health agenda as its population continues to age.