Market study • Edition 2026

The public works market in France

French public works are set to fall 8% in volume in 2026, then 7% in 2027, according to the FNTP: local public procurement is shrinking.

Exclusive sources: 35 years of IndexPresse trade press, not available in open access. Every cited article can be read as a PDF.

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The public works market in France

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Key figures of the public works market in France

Public works cover the building and upkeep of infrastructure: roads, railways, bridges, water, energy and telecoms networks, engineering structures and earthworks. The market studied covers these projects in France, commissioned mainly by local authorities, the State, large network operators and private clients; it excludes building construction. It depends closely on public investment and on the municipal electoral cycle.

Turnover excluding VAT of civil engineering companies (NAF 42): €67.3bn; 2023 • Source: Insee, Ésane
Of which road and railway construction, the largest segment: €47.5bn; 2023 • Source: Insee, Ésane
Expected fall in public works activity in volume: -8%; 2026 • Source: FNTP, October 2026
Further fall in output forecast in volume: -7%; 2027 • Source: FNTP, October 2026
Share of local authorities in public works turnover: 43.9%; 2026 • Source: FNTP, October 2026
Threshold below which works contracts are exempt from advertising and competition requirements: €100,000 excl. VAT; Since 1 January 2026 • Source: Decree No. 2025-1386

The public works market in France in 6 questions

Our analysts’ answers, taken from the study. The full analysis, the charts and the detailed sources are in the report.

How big is the public works market in France?

According to Insee (Ésane), civil engineering companies (NAF code 42) generated €67.3bn of turnover excluding VAT in France in 2023, with 248,143 full-time-equivalent employees. This code does not exactly match public works: it excludes part of earthworks and counts all the activity of the companies classified. The Fédération nationale des travaux publics (FNTP, the French public works federation) reports for its part €51.3bn of turnover in France, 8,000 companies and 331,000 staff.

How is public works activity changing in France in 2026?

Public works activity in France is expected to fall 8% in volume in 2026, according to the FNTP (October 2026), after a decline of around 1% in 2025. From January to the end of September 2026, works carried out are down 8.8% in volume year on year and contracts concluded are down 26.5%. According to Le Moniteur (October 2026), the federation also expects employment to fall 4% by year-end. For 2027, it forecasts a further 7% fall in volume.

Who are the clients of public works in France?

Local authorities are the leading client of public works in France: they account for 43.9% of the sector’s turnover, according to the FNTP (October 2026). They are followed by private clients (31.2%), large transport and energy operators (21.2%) and the State (3.7%). For 2027, the FNTP forecasts a 12% fall in volume in activity for local authorities (14% for municipalities and intercommunal bodies), stability for large operators and a 4% decline for private clients.

What are the main segments of public works in France?

Road and railway construction dominates civil engineering in France: €47.5bn of turnover excluding VAT in 2023, according to Insee (Ésane), or about 71% of the total for division 42 (calculation based on Insee). The construction of networks and lines (water, electricity, telecoms) accounts for €13.1bn, and other civil engineering structures, including maritime and river works, for €6.7bn. Earthworks fall partly under other codes.

Who are the main players in public works in France?

The public works market in France brings together subsidiaries of major construction groups, independent groups such as NGE and Spie Batignolles, and thousands of regional SMEs. According to Le Moniteur (September 2026), Spie Batignolles is acquiring Braja-Vésigné, a road works specialist in the South-East (€224m of turnover in 2025): its public works arm would approach €800m. NGE, for its part, is targeting the civil engineering packages of the future EPR2 reactors.

How do public works contracts operate in France?

Most public works in France go through public contracts governed by the Code de la commande publique (the French public procurement code). Since 1 January 2026, Decree No. 2025-1386 of 29 December 2025 sets at €100,000 excluding VAT the threshold below which a works contract may be concluded without prior advertising or competition. The FNTP also notes a 26% fall in public calls for tender over the first eight months of 2026.

Sources: Insee, Ésane, 2023 data • FNTP, key figures and economic outlook, 2026 • FNTP, Forecasts 2026, November 2025 • FNTP, Forecasts 2027, October 2026 • Decree No. 2025-1386 of 29 December 2025 • Le Moniteur, September and October 2026 • Trade press (IndexPresse database)

Contents • The public works market in France

Key figures • The public works market in France

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1. Public works: definition and scope
1. 1.1 Roads, railways, networks and engineering structures
2. 1.2 Civil engineering and earthworks: the NAF codes
3. 1.3 Public and private project owners
4. 1.4 An industry split between majors and regional SMEs
2. Market size and dynamics
1. 2.1 Civil engineering turnover
2. 2.2 The weight of roads and railways
3. 2.3 From the stagnation of 2025 to the shock of 2026
4. 2.4 Order intake, employment and costs (TP01 index)
3. Demand and project owners
1. 3.1 Municipalities, intercommunal bodies and départements
2. 3.2 The State and the funding of transport infrastructure
3. 3.3 Large operators: energy, rail, water
4. 3.4 Private clients and new housing
5. 3.5 The municipal electoral cycle
4. Supply and players
1. 4.1 Subsidiaries of major construction groups
2. 4.2 NGE, Spie Batignolles and the independent groups
3. 4.3 Regional SMEs and family-owned companies
4. 4.4 Buyouts and consolidation of the sector
5. Public procurement and constraints
1. 5.1 The Code de la commande publique and its thresholds
2. 5.2 Local authority budgets and the finance act
3. 5.3 Price revision and the cost of materials
4. 5.4 Spoil, recycling and environmental requirements
6. Public works outlook
1. 6.1 The industry’s 2027 scenario
2. 6.2 Nuclear, renewables and electricity networks
3. 6.3 Water, sanitation and climate adaptation
4. 6.4 Rail and mobility

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Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about the market, the study and your order.

How big is the public works market in France?

Civil engineering companies (NAF 42) generated €67.3bn of turnover excluding VAT in 2023, according to Insee; the FNTP reports €51.3bn of turnover in France for public works. The two measures do not share the same scope, and the study reconciles them.

What does the study contain and in what format?

A PDF report in French, 2026 edition, organised into six chapters: definition and scope of public works, market size and dynamics, demand and project owners, supply and players, public procurement and constraints, outlook.

What sources does the study draw on?

Insee statistics, FNTP economic data and forecasts, the texts of the Code de la commande publique (the French public procurement code) and trade press articles from the IndexPresse database. Every figure comes with its source and period.

Is the data up to date?

Yes. The study is updated before it is sent, within 48 hours at most: it includes the latest published data, and every figure comes with its source and period.

Who is this study for?

Executives of public works companies, suppliers of materials and equipment, local authorities and project owners, as well as consultants, bankers and investors who need to understand the public works market in France.

When and how will I receive the study?

By email, as a PDF, within 48 hours of payment. Our analysts use that time to add the latest available data before sending. You then find it in your My studies area.

How is it different from a Google search or an AI?

A Google search or a general-purpose AI returns isolated figures, often with no date or precise scope, and cannot reach the professional press, largely behind paywalls. The study starts from a defined market, crosses public statistics with more than 500 trade journals from the IndexPresse database and links every figure to its original source. You get an up-to-date file you can cite and present as it is, without spending time cross-checking.

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The public works market in France

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The public works market in France

French public works are set to fall 8% in volume in 2026, then 7% in 2027, according to the FNTP: local public procurement is shrinking.

Exclusive sources: 35 years of IndexPresse trade press, not available in open access. Every cited article can be read as a PDF.

4.5/5 from 827 reviews • More than 43,000 studies sold since 2009

Key figures of the public works market in France

The public works market in France

Key figures of the public works market in France

The public works market in France in 6 questions

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