The hosts made a blistering start as Sale Shark Elliott Gourlay crossed inside a minute, Bath University fly-half Will Roue adding the extras.
The latter’s fellow BUCS Super Rugby title-winner Max Pearce dotted down for 12-0, before France were awarded a penalty try midway through the opening quarter.
With George Alexander sin-binned for bringing the maul down illegally, the visitors hit the front soon after as Pierre Guillaud converted Morgan Mignot’s score.
And they moved 21-12 up with a third try in five minutes, Corentin Peccaud touching down before Guillaud landed.
Les Bleus were now irresistible and moved 16 points up on 18 minutes thanks to an Adrien Monteil effort.
But England then enjoyed a purple patch of their own at Kingston Park.
Nottingham Uni scrum-half Max Blinkhorn began the charge as he sniped over, Roue with the extras, before Loughborough replacement Ben Taylor was next to dot down.
Bath full-back Austin Emens put England in front, and with Roue on target after Aiden Kean went over a minute before the break, it was 36-28.
Peccaud received a yellow card straight after the interval, Pearce over at the back of a maul before Roue stretched the lead further.
Fergus bolstered the second row in the 47th minute, before Alex Garrett’s try pushed England 20 points clear.
But Mignot’s converted second reduced the arrears and gave France some hope.
Taylor, however, matched his effort five minutes from time to make the game safe, Roue landing a fifth kick.
Guillaud maintained his perfect record after crossing himself, but it was too little, too late for the visitors.
It was England’s first win in the annual fixture since 2023.
