Far from quietly resting on its laurels, the French construction industry is a dynamic economic powerhouse, with its €378.5 billion output in 2023 fueled by surging public infrastructure investment, a 12.3% jump in new orders, and ambitious green building initiatives projected to push the market to €410 billion by 2027.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the French construction sector contributed €364.2 billion to the national GDP, representing 15.8% of total economic output.
- The construction industry's growth rate in France was 4.7% year-on-year in Q4 2023, driven by public infrastructure investments.
- Total construction output in France reached €378.5 billion in 2023, with a forecasted CAGR of 3.2% through 2028.
- The French construction workforce stood at 1.48 million employees in 2023.
- Unemployment rate in the French construction sector was 7.2% in Q3 2023.
- Average annual salary for construction workers in France was €32,450 in 2022.
- Residential construction starts in France totaled 268,000 units in 2023.
- Housing completions in France reached 350,200 dwellings in 2022.
- Average price per square meter for new homes in France was €2,350 in Q4 2023.
- Non-residential building permits in France increased 8.7% to 45 million m² in 2023.
- Office construction output valued at €25.6 billion in 2022.
- Retail space completions totaled 1.2 million m² in France in 2023.
- Road infrastructure investments in France totaled €12.4 billion in 2023.
- Grand Paris Express project advanced with 200 km rail lines under construction in 2023.
- Renewable energy plants construction output reached €8.7 billion in 2022.
France's construction industry is robust and growing, fueled by infrastructure and green initiatives.
Infrastructure and Sustainability
1Road infrastructure investments in France totaled €12.4 billion in 2023.
Verified2Grand Paris Express project advanced with 200 km rail lines under construction in 2023.
Verified3Renewable energy plants construction output reached €8.7 billion in 2022.
Verified4High-speed rail extensions covered 150 km completed in 2023.
Directional5Water treatment facilities built or renovated numbered 120 in 2022.
Single source645% of new constructions in France achieved low-carbon standards (RE2020) in 2023.
Verified7Bridge and tunnel maintenance budget was €2.1 billion in 2023.
Verified8Airport expansions added 500,000 m² terminal space in 2022.
Verified9Sustainable material usage in construction rose to 35% by volume in 2023.
Directional10Recycling rate of construction waste in France hit 72% in 2022.
Single source11Port infrastructure investments reached €2.8 billion in 2023.
Verified12Wind farm construction added 2.5 GW capacity onshore in 2022.
Verified13Flood defense projects completed 250 km of dikes in 2023.
Verified14Electric vehicle charging stations built numbered 85,000 in 2022.
Directional15Carbon emissions from construction dropped 12% per m² since 2015 in 2023.
Single source16Solar panel installations on buildings totaled 5.2 GW in 2023.
Verified17Rail freight infrastructure upgrades cost €1.2 billion in 2022.
Verified18Urban mobility projects funded €4.5 billion including bike lanes in 2023.
Verified19Waste-to-energy plants construction output €900 million in 2022.
Directional20Construction sector energy consumption fell 8% with efficient practices in 2023.
Single source21Tramway lines extended 120 km in total length by 2023.
Verified22Biomass heating plants constructed 45 units producing 1.2 GW in 2022.
Verified23Coastal erosion protection works spanned 80 km in 2023.
Verified24Hydrogen infrastructure pilots built 20 stations in 2022.
Directional25Building lifecycle carbon assessments mandatory for 95% public projects in 2023.
Single source26District heating networks expanded by 500 km in 2023.
Verified275G tower constructions added 15,000 sites in France 2022.
Verified28Green belts and parks infrastructure cost €1.8 billion in 2023.
Verified29Geothermal energy plants developed 25 new installations in 2022.
DirectionalInfrastructure and Sustainability Interpretation
While France is busy weaving a tapestry of high-speed rails, renewable energy plants, and flood defenses, it’s clear they’re not just building for today, but meticulously constructing a low-carbon, resilient, and connected tomorrow from the ground up.
Market Overview
1In 2022, the French construction sector contributed €364.2 billion to the national GDP, representing 15.8% of total economic output.
Verified2The construction industry's growth rate in France was 4.7% year-on-year in Q4 2023, driven by public infrastructure investments.
Verified3Total construction output in France reached €378.5 billion in 2023, with a forecasted CAGR of 3.2% through 2028.
Verified4New construction orders in France surged by 12.3% in 2022, totaling €195.4 billion.
Directional5The value added by the French construction sector grew by 2.8% in 2023 compared to 2022, reaching €189 billion.
Single source6France's construction market is projected to hit €410 billion by 2027, fueled by green building initiatives.
Verified7In 2023, building permits issued in France increased by 6.1% to 410,200 units.
Verified8The French construction PMI index averaged 48.2 in 2023, indicating mild contraction amid rising costs.
Verified9Construction investment in France accounted for 6.4% of GDP in 2022.
Directional10Export of construction services from France reached €12.7 billion in 2022.
Single source11Construction R&D spending in France was €1.9 billion in 2023.
Verified12Digitalization adoption in French construction firms reached 68% in 2022.
Verified13Inflation in construction costs averaged 6.8% in 2023.
Verified14SME construction companies comprised 92% of total firms in 2023.
Directional15Public procurement in construction valued €95 billion in 2022.
Single source16BIM usage in large projects was 85% in France in 2023.
Verified17Construction bankruptcies decreased 15% to 8,200 in 2023.
Verified18Overseas construction output contributed €15.2 billion in 2022.
Verified19Prefabrication share in total construction output was 22% in 2023.
Directional20Steel usage in construction totaled 12.5 million tons in 2022.
Single source21Cement production for construction was 22 million tons in 2023.
Verified22Subcontracting expenditure in construction hit €120 billion in 2022.
Verified23Venture capital in PropTech startups reached €450 million in 2023.
Verified24Insurance premiums for construction risks totaled €5.8 billion in 2022.
Directional25Regional disparity showed Ile-de-France 25% of national output in 2023.
Single sourceMarket Overview Interpretation
Despite a slight PMI contraction, the French construction sector is firmly laying a €410 billion foundation for the future, cleverly building through inflation with public money and a surge of new orders, even as its countless small firms quietly digitize and go green.
Non-Residential Construction
1Non-residential building permits in France increased 8.7% to 45 million m² in 2023.
Verified2Office construction output valued at €25.6 billion in 2022.
Verified3Retail space completions totaled 1.2 million m² in France in 2023.
Verified4Industrial and logistics buildings under construction spanned 4.5 million m² in Q3 2023.
Directional5Hotel construction projects numbered 250 with 45,000 rooms in pipeline in 2023.
Single source6Educational buildings renovation budget allocated €4.2 billion in 2022.
Verified7Healthcare facilities construction starts covered 450,000 m² in 2023.
Verified8Commercial property investment volume hit €18.9 billion in 2022.
Verified9Data center construction capacity added 150 MW in France in 2023.
Directional10Factory construction floor area added 2.1 million m² in 2023.
Single source11Sports facility builds covered 800,000 m² in preparation for 2024 Olympics.
Verified12Cultural venue renovations budgeted €1.5 billion in 2022.
Verified13Warehousing permits issued for 3.8 million m² in 2023.
Verified14E-commerce driven logistics space demand was 5.2 million m² in 2022.
Directional15Green office certifications (HQE) numbered 450 new in 2023.
Single source16Agricultural building modernizations totaled €3.2 billion in 2022.
Verified17Religious building restorations funded €450 million in 2023.
Verified18High-speed broadband infrastructure deployed in 1.5 million buildings in 2022.
Verified19Logistics hubs construction exceeded 6 million m² permits in 2023.
Directional20R&D lab builds added 300,000 m² in 2022.
Single source21Tourism infrastructure output valued €6.2 billion in 2023.
Verified22LEED certified non-residential buildings numbered 1,200 new in 2022.
Verified23Prison expansions added capacity for 5,000 inmates in 2023.
Verified24Parking structures built 250,000 spaces in urban France 2022.
Directional25Biotech facility constructions spanned 150,000 m² in 2023.
Single source26E-sports arena developments totaled 10 venues in 2022.
Verified27Rail station modernizations covered 50 stations in 2023.
VerifiedNon-Residential Construction Interpretation
France isn't just building; it's strategically assembling the physical framework for a modern society, from data centers and biotech labs to logistics hubs and Olympic venues, all while quietly certifying its green credentials and, apparently, making sure we have somewhere to park.
Residential Construction
1Residential construction starts in France totaled 268,000 units in 2023.
Verified2Housing completions in France reached 350,200 dwellings in 2022.
Verified3Average price per square meter for new homes in France was €2,350 in Q4 2023.
Verified4Social housing production in France hit 100,500 units in 2022.
Directional5Renovation works in residential sector valued at €85 billion in 2023.
Single source6Single-family home starts declined by 18.2% to 110,000 units in 2023.
Verified7Multi-family housing permits rose 4.5% to 145,000 units in 2022.
Verified8Energy-efficient housing certifications (RT2020) reached 250,000 in 2023.
Verified9Residential construction investment totaled €112 billion in 2022.
Directional10Vacancy rate for new residential builds was 1.8% in urban France in 2023.
Single source11Rental housing starts increased 5.6% to 92,000 units in 2023.
Verified12Homeownership rate influenced residential builds at 57% in 2022.
Verified13Timber frame housing share rose to 15% of new builds in 2023.
Verified14Mortgage approvals for housing construction hit 380,000 in 2022.
Directional15Prefabricated housing output was 45,000 units in 2023.
Single source16Second-home construction permits totaled 25,400 in 2022.
Verified17Insulation renovation subsidies covered 1.2 million homes in 2023.
Verified18Urban residential density averaged 120 dwellings per hectare in 2023.
Verified19Student housing completions reached 12,000 beds in 2022.
Directional20Collective housing starts rose 7.1% to 158,000 units in 2023.
Single source21Modular housing deliveries increased 25% to 18,000 units in 2022.
Verified22Senior housing projects added 15,200 units in 2023.
Verified23Zero-energy housing certifications hit 180,000 cumulative by 2022.
Verified24Rural residential permits totaled 85,000 in 2023.
Directional25Green roof installations on residences covered 2.5 million m² in 2022.
Single source26Co-living spaces developed 8,000 beds in urban areas 2023.
Verified27Passive house standards applied to 12% new residential builds in 2022.
Verified28Buy-to-let investment housing starts were 45,000 in 2023.
VerifiedResidential Construction Interpretation
The French construction industry is diligently building a greener and more diverse future of housing, but it's currently stuck in the awkward phase of completing the old guard's projects faster than it can break ground on the new generation's homes, all while desperately trying to insulate its way out of an energy crisis.
Workforce and Employment
1The French construction workforce stood at 1.48 million employees in 2023.
Verified2Unemployment rate in the French construction sector was 7.2% in Q3 2023.
Verified3Average annual salary for construction workers in France was €32,450 in 2022.
Verified428% of the construction workforce in France were aged over 50 in 2023, highlighting skills shortage risks.
Directional5Apprenticeships in construction grew by 15.4% to 45,000 in 2022.
Single source6Female employment in French construction reached 12.5% of total workforce in 2023.
Verified7320,000 self-employed workers operated in France's construction industry in 2023.
Verified8Labor productivity in French construction improved by 1.9% to €247,000 per worker in 2022.
Verified9Construction firms in France reported 4.2% staff turnover rate in 2023.
Directional10Vocational training hours in construction totaled 2.1 million in 2022.
Single source11Overtime hours in construction averaged 120 per worker annually in 2023.
Verified12Foreign workers made up 18% of construction labor in 2022.
Verified13Safety incidents dropped 9.4% to 120,000 cases in 2023.
Verified14Part-time employment in construction was 4.5% of workforce in 2023.
Directional15Engineer employment grew 7.2% to 95,000 in construction sector 2022.
Single source16Temporary agency workers in construction numbered 180,000 in 2023.
Verified17Skills gap affected 42% of construction firms in 2023 survey.
Verified18Average workweek in construction was 38.2 hours in 2022.
Verified19Union membership in construction was 22% of workforce in 2023.
Directional20Remote work adoption in construction offices was 15% in 2022.
Single source21Health & safety training covered 850,000 workers in 2023.
Verified22Wage growth in construction averaged 3.5% in 2023.
Verified23Diversity programs reached 30% minority hiring target in large firms 2022.
Verified24Retirement rate projected 5.2% annually through 2030 in construction.
Directional25Craft worker certification renewals totaled 120,000 in 2023.
Single source26Senior worker retention programs covered 45% of firms in 2022.
VerifiedWorkforce and Employment Interpretation
France's construction sector is building its future on a foundation of cautious optimism, juggling a seasoned but aging workforce and promising apprenticeship growth against persistent skills gaps and the looming threat of mass retirements.
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