French industrial output rose by a greater-than-expected 1.1% in November, lifted by production of electronic equipment and refinery output.
Manufacturing output increased by 1.3%, said national statistics office Insee.
Year-on-year, manufacturing production was up 2.2% as output from refineries surged from weak levels a year ago during strikes.
Separately, the Bank of France said the economy had failed to grow in the fourth quarter of 2011.
Insee, who provide the official growth figures, said last month that the economy had grown by 0.3% in the third quarter and forecast a contraction of 0.2% in the last three months of 2011.
But if the Bank of France’s estimate is correct, it should allow the government to come very close to meeting its full-year target of 1.5% growth.
Insee will release fourth quarter growth figures on 15 February.
