Recent data concerning the mortality from oesophageal cancer by régions and départements in France are reported (around 5,000 deaths yearly). It was decided to investigate whether any time trend had become apparent and whether the correlation with alcoholism could still be observed. Numbers of deaths from oesophageal cancer for the years 1961–1963 and 1967–1968, and from cirrhosis and alcoholism for 1967 and 1968 were collected as well as the corresponding population from the census figures of 1962 and 1968. A cohort analysis using the data for 5 reference years (from 1951 to 1971) is presented. Among European countries, France has the highest mortality rate from oesophageal cancer in males (13.65/100,000) and a very high sex ratio (12.88). The rates are particularly high in western areas, especially Basse-Normandie. Over the 20-year period from 1951 to 1971, a progress of 32.7 % was observed in males. The increase in mortality in males is greatest in the youngest age groups. In 1967–1968, there is a strong correlation between oesophageal cancer mortality and mortality from cirrhosis and alcoholism, the latter being more significant.