French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said today she expected GDP growth was excellent in the third quarter.
"I have good reason to believe, given order book forecasts, given consumption, given job creation . . . that we will have a third quarter of excellent quality, well above the second quarter," Ms Lagarde said.
"I think we will have a very good number, which leads me to believe that we will probably reach our bracket for 2007," Ms Lagarde said, declining to predict a figure.
French growth came in below expectations in the second quarter, reaching just 0.3 per cent, held back by sluggish exports and stagnant business investment.