The French economy grew by 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2014, meeting analysts' expectations, preliminary figures from the INSEE national statistics agency show today.
A Reuters poll had forecast on average 0.1% growth in the three months to December from the previous quarter, when growth rose 0.3%.
The result, helped by consumer and public spending, meant the euro zone's second-largest economy grew by 0.4% over the course of last year, matching the government's estimate for full-year growth.
2014 was the third year in a row of full-year growth of 0.4%.
"It's obviously still too weak, but the conditions are ripe to permit a cleaner start of activity in 2015," said Finance Minister Michel Sapin, who added that business leaders were already beginning to increase investment.
The French government is predicting a 1% rise in GDP in 2015, hoping to end a period of anaemic growth that has kept investment low and joblessness high.
On Monday, France's central bank predicted first-quarter growth of 0.4%, led by a rise in industrial production and a slight improvement in services activity.
