France reports surge in corporate bankruptcies, with sharp rises in Occitanie and overseas territories

Allianz Trade’s latest study shows that France recorded 18,004 corporate insolvency procedures in the second quarter of 2026, a 5 % increase from a year earlier and the highest level ever for a single quarter. The overall rise accelerated to 8 % in the first half of the year.

In the southern Occitanie region, 1,599 companies entered collective procedures, up 7 % year‑on‑year, making the region the fifth most affected in the country. The Hérault department accounted for nearly a quarter of regional failures (440 cases) and saw an 18 % jump, while Haute‑Garonne remained relatively stable. The hospitality‑restaurant sector was particularly pressured, representing 16 % of regional failures and rising 14 %.

Across the overseas departments, 709 failures were recorded – a 30 % rise year‑on‑year. Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion posted the steepest increases at +46 %, +45 % and +36 % respectively, while Guyane was the sole exception with a 29 % decline. The commercial sector in the DOM surged 33 % versus a modest 3 % rise nationally, and services grew 28 % compared with an 8 % national average.