After an elaborate pre-game ceremony that included horseback riders, pyro and laser projections, the two teams displayed a spectacular seesaw game that would have graced any era of their 120-year rivalry.
France’s warp-speed wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey torched England twice in the opening 12 minutes with trademark tries.
The 22-year-old, who has now scored in 10 Six Nations games in a row, raced on to well-timed kicks from Ramos and flyhalf Mathieu Jalibert as England’s backline was lured forward and space in the backfield opened up.
England went between two scores when Fin Smith and Elliot Daly, who combined for the win at Twickenham last year, put Tom Roebuck in the corner.
Even early on there was intensity and guile in England’s running line, their forwards meeting a heavyweight French pack on the front foot.
After Cadan Murley had reduced the hosts’ lead to 14-10 thanks to a backfield spill from Theo Attissogbe, Ollie Chessum powered on after 13 men with a 20-metre driving maul downfield.
As the scoreboard read 17-17 level and the two teams continued to trade scores with almost basketball frequency, renditions of Swing Low Sweet Chariot rose from some of the England fans.
Alex Coles came on strong to put England ahead and a Fin Smith penalty put the visitors 10 points clear at 27-17.
Then came two big calls as the half went red.
The hosts elected to take a corner, and from the resulting line-out referee Nika Amashukeli ruled that Ellis Genge had dragged the French maul, sent the propeller into the net and awarded a penalty kick.
Poor discipline marred England’s campaign, with only the 2002 Italian team amassing more cards in a single Six Nations campaign.
The England coaching staff returned to the locker room encouraged by this decision, and the reason was proven from the start of the second half.
With Genge leaving the pitch and England falling to 14th, France made hay.
Bielle-Biarrey completed her hat-trick just 90 seconds after the restart, with the French side awarded a penalty in the first Genge-less scrum. Attisogbe cruised on as the power play continued and France won 38-27.
At the time, the competition appeared to be drifting away from England, but resilience and opportunism pulled it back.
Chessum intercepted Jalibert’s pass and dove in from distance and with Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jack van Poortvliet bringing energy from the bench, fellow substitute Marcus Smith darted around Demba Bamba to put England back in front at 39-38 with 25 minutes remaining.
Bielle-Biarrey added her fourth try of the match and her ninth winner, but the twists and turns continued.
Bamba was sent to the bin and Freeman walked in to silence the Stade de France.
With two minutes remaining, Chessum claimed the restart and Van Poortvliet kicked long but Jalibert produced one more moment of magic, cutting through the chase and putting England back on top.
Ramos took the honors with the last kick following the referee’s call for a high tackle, a match that stands out for not being seen again on the big screen.
