France has recorded a historic rise in corporate insolvencies, with 71,100 business failures reported over a rolling 12-month period to Q1 2026, according to Altarès. The figure marks the highest level since the 2009 financial crisis and places more than 75,000 jobs at risk, underscoring mounting pressure across the national economy.
The first quarter alone saw 19,000 new insolvencies, up 6.4% year-on-year, reflecting a continued deterioration in business conditions. Small and medium-sized enterprises remain particularly exposed, with SMEs employing between 20 and 99 staff seeing failures rise by 12%. Micro-enterprises…