The French press distributed 2.6 billion copies in 2024, or 7.1 million copies per day according to ACPM. Behind this overall volume, the ranking of the best-selling newspapers in France now relies on a cross-reading of print and digital that redistributes historical positions.
Paid circulation in France: what ACPM really measures
ACPM no longer ranks titles based solely on single-copy sales. The Paid Circulation in France (DFP) aggregates print subscriptions, digital subscriptions, kiosk sales, and PDF or app versions. This methodological change, generalized in recent reports, boosts titles that are very strong digitally but modest in kiosks.
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The dominant model remains subscriptions in all their forms. It accounts for 44% of paid circulation in France, or 1.1 billion copies. Single-copy sales, long considered the sole barometer, now reflect only a fraction of the actual readership.
We also observe that press websites and applications recorded 78 million visits per day in 2024, with 86% via mobile devices. This massive mobile traffic alters the perceived hierarchy: a national daily with a solid digital base can surpass in overall audience a regional title that is better distributed in kiosks. To delve deeper into newspaper sales on La Revue de l’Entreprise, ACPM data is detailed there by press family.
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Best-selling national dailies: Le Figaro, Le Monde, and the weight of digital
Le Figaro retains the top spot in total circulation among national dailies, a position it has held for several years. Le Monde follows closely, driven by a particularly aggressive digital subscription strategy. Le Parisien completes the podium with a strong foothold in Île-de-France and national distribution via Aujourd’hui en France.
The digital dynamic disrupts the gaps. Le Monde has seen a marked increase in its digital subscriptions in recent years, to the point that most of its paid circulation now relies on digital. Libération, despite more modest volumes, shows one of the best sales progressions by integrating its paid web offerings.
The economic dailies deserve a mention. Les Échos relies on a loyal professional readership and a growing digital base. L’Équipe, the only general sports daily, maintains a significant circulation volume thanks to the combination of kiosks and mobile applications.
Regional daily press: volumes surpassing national ones
Regional dailies remain among the best-selling newspapers in France, but their visibility in media rankings is low. However, their overall circulation volumes, combining print and digital, often exceed those of major national dailies.
Ouest-France dominates the regional daily press and regularly ranks among the top French dailies in total circulation, ahead of several national titles. Sud Ouest, La Voix du Nord, Le Télégramme, and Le Progrès complete a dense regional fabric.
This regional press draws its strength from postal subscriptions and delivery, two channels that are less visible than kiosks but very stable. The digital transition is slower here, which may artificially diminish their weight in rankings based on DFP that include digital.
Magazines and specialized press: health, TV, and youth leading sales
The distribution by press family in total circulation places several segments ahead of national daily press in terms of copies distributed:
- The TV press remains the most distributed magazine segment in France, driven by titles like Télé 7 Jours or Télé Star, which are bought massively in kiosks and through postal subscriptions.
- The health and women’s press (Prisma Group, Reworld Media Group) generates considerable circulation volumes, with titles that individually exceed several national dailies.
- The youth press maintains high print runs thanks to family subscriptions, a very resilient channel in the face of declining kiosk sales. Titles like J’aime lire or Science & Vie Junior retain a loyal base.
The ranking of the most read magazines does not always coincide with that of the best-selling ones. The audience of a title, measured by ACPM in terms of number of readers, includes sharing and reading in waiting rooms, which favors health and celebrity press.
Evolution of newspaper sales in France: structural trend and digital shift
Paper sales have been continuously declining for over a decade. In 2021, ACPM noted a 2.9% decline in paper sales, a figure that fits into a long-term trend. The shift to digital has not yet fully compensated for paper losses, but it is slowing the overall erosion of paid circulation.
Several structural factors are accelerating this transition:
- The gradual closure of press sales points (kiosks, press houses) mechanically reduces access to paper.
- Bundled offers (press + podcast + newsletter) cultivate a digital readership that will not return to paper.
- Public aid to the press is being redirected towards digital transition, encouraging publishers to accelerate their transformation.
The ranking of the best-selling newspapers in France this year therefore reflects less a kiosk war than a competition over the ability to convert readers into digital subscribers. The titles that dominate are those that invested early in their digital infrastructure, their paywall, and their subscriber retention strategy.