France private sector wages outpace inflation in Q2 2026

In the second quarter of 2026, private sector monthly base salaries in France grew by 2% year-on-year, outpacing the 1.7% inflation rate recorded between June 2025 and June 2026. This shift marks a transition from the previous two years, where wage increases primarily struggled to keep pace with rising prices.

According to data from Dares, the quarterly increase in base salaries reached 0.7%. Growth varied by professional category: employees saw the highest rise at 1%, followed by manual workers at 0.8%, executives at 0.6%, and intermediate professions at 0.5%.