Introduction - This article aims to examine trends in cause-specific mortality in metropolitan France between 2000 and 2016. This indicator is used to describe major trends in the population’s health status. Methods - Mortality data collected and coded by CépiDc-Inserm were used. The initial causes of death were grouped into 31 non-exclusive categories. Rates standardized to the 2012 Eurostat population were calculated, and Poisson models were used to estimate variations and trends in linear changes between the periods 2000–2007 and 2008–2016. Unknown causes were imputed, and statistical adjustments were applied. Results - In 2016, out of 579,230 recorded deaths, deaths from tumors (29.0%) and cardiovascular diseases (24.2%) were predominant. Male excess mortality, with a sex ratio of 1.7, was observed for nearly all causes. Against a backdrop of a general decline in mortality, mortality rates decreased particularly sharply between the two periods for AIDS and HIV and for transportation accidents, as well as for cardiovascular diseases in both sexes. It increased sharply for lung cancer in women and more moderately for both sexes for pancreatic cancer and brain cancer. Discussion - These overall results highlight the successes and shortcomings of certain developments in prevention and care. The accuracy of public health findings and decisions depends on the quality of these data.