England cast off the shackles to deliver their best performance of the Six Nations but it was not enough to stop Thomas Ramos from landing a last-gasp penalty to ignite French title celebrations.
Tommy Freeman produced a brilliant finish with three minutes left of an exhilarating clash in Paris to propel England in front, but Ramos found the posts from long-range in the final act of the Championship to clinch a 48-46 victory.
Steve Borthwick’s side were transformed from the side that collapsed to three consecutive defeats, running in seven tries as their attack finally fired with the outstanding Ollie Chessum crossing twice.
It was also the night their pack flexed their muscles for the first time in the tournament by submitting France up front, inspired by Chessum, the relentless Ben Earl and props Ellis Genge and Joe Heyes.
But they were hurt by their eighth yellow card of the tournament shown to Genge and the exquisite finishing of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who touched down four times.
It was the type of all-action display Borthwick needed to convince the Rugby Football Union he should continue as head coach just a week after England fell to a historic first defeat by Italy.
A gripping spectacle was only marred by the decision to allow France to play in light blue anniversary kit to mark 120 years of ‘Le Crunch’, resulting in a colour clash with England’s white jerseys.
Ireland’s pulsating victory over Scotland that launched ‘Super Saturday’ presented France with the target of winning in Paris to retain their crown — a prospect that was anything but assured after a breathless first-half.
It looked ominous for England when Bielle-Biarrey finished the first of his two tries after collecting Ramos’ kick after just six minutes, but unlike in previous rounds they responded to the adversity by showing their teeth.
Attacking down both touchlines, they quickly went over with Elliot Daly pulling the trigger for Tom Roebuck in a deserved try given the ambition of their play.
It sent the tone for the rest of the half with the rivals regularly exchanging tries, with Bielle-Biarrey the main threat for the hosts through his ability to capitalise on any hesitation in defence.
Matthieu Jalibert’s kick allowed him to score his second, but England hit straight back when Cadan Murley touched down a Ben Spencer grubber that slipped through the hands of Theo Attissogbe.
In a rare display of emotion, Borthwick slammed his hand down on his desk in celebration of the try.
For the first time in the tournament, England’s pack began to snarl with the maul emerging as a potent weapon with the second of two powerful drives ending when Chessum dived over.
And then their forwards combined in attack with Chessum sending Alex Coles over with Spencer also involved as space down the blindside was exploited brilliantly.
There was so much to admire about England’s performance but their 10-point lead faded in first-half added time when referee Nika Amashukeli decided Genge had collapsed a maul, showing him a yellow card and awarding a penalty try.
It then evaporated completely as Bielle-Biarrey completed his hat trick when France’s attack clicked soon after the interval before Attissogbe struck on the other wing after gathering a long pass from Antoine Dupont.
Chessum produced a brilliant read to gallop home for an intercept try and then a build up of pressure created space for Marcus Smith to cross on his 50th cap.
England were stung by a breakaway try for Bielle-Biarrey but when France prop Demba Bamba was sin-binned they pounced for the sixth time through Freeman, only for Ramos to kick the title-winning penalty.
