Both scores came inside the ten-minute mark and at that point, Declan Kidney's men looked on course to gain revenge for last weekend's defeat in Bordeaux and the narrow loss here in the Six Nations.

But France upped their game considerably after that, with Morgan Parra and Francois Trinh-Duc dictating from half-back behind a very physical set of forwards.

A Parra penalty and a well-taken drop goal from Trinh-Duc whittled Ireland's lead down to 8-6 and the visitors moved ahead courtesy of a brilliantly crafted and finished try from full-back Cédric Heymans.

Parra converted it and also landed a late penalty to give his side a double scores advantage at the break.

Ireland needed to respond quickly when the second half got underway. Instead, man-of-the-match Parra kept the French momentum going by kicking them into a 19-8 lead.

Worse followed for Ireland just four minutes later when a loose pass from Tomas O'Leary in his 22 was intercepted by Trinh-Duc and the replacement out-half sprinted in for a real sucker punch try.

Parra's conversion put 18 points between the sides and injuries to Healy and Felix Jones, on his first start, added to the home side's woes.

However, their general play did pick up in the final quarter and the introduction of Stephen Ferris, back from a long-term knee injury, was a welcome sight.

With France content with their lot, Ireland bossed the closing stages of the game. Ronan O'Gara was in the hot seat at out-half, having replaced Gordon D'Arcy. Sexton shifted to inside centre.

Andrew Trimble, O'Brien and returning captain Brian O'Driscoll kept running hard at the French defence and Ireland's endeavour was rewarded by a brace of late tries.

Luke Fitzgerald, who came on for the injured Jones, ran half the length of the pitch on a terrific break and Sexton scored straight from the ensuing ruck.

O'Gara converted and also added the extras to O'Brien's injury-time effort, which saw the powerful Carlow man shrug off three French players on his way to the try-line.

The game finished 26-22 in France's favour and leaves next weekend's encounter with England as Ireland's last chance to gain a Test match win before the Rugby World Cup.

The Ireland team that started the opening GUINNESS Summer Series match showed ten changes to the side lined out at Stade Chaban Delmas. Flanker Shane Jennings got a chance to impress, replacing hamstring injury victim David Wallace.

Jennings gobbled up a loose ball in midfield to set up Ireland's first attack. O'Driscoll combined with Keith Earls and Jones down the left and after a strong carry from Paul O'Connell, Julien Bonnaire was penalised for not releasing the tackled player.

Sexton confidently split the posts for a third minute opener, and good ball retention from the backs and forward quickly brought Ireland back within scoring range.

Trimble was involved twice before Aurélien Rougerie was whistled up for hands in the ruck. It was a penalty straight in front of the posts, but Ireland tapped it and a knock on left them without a reward.

The fans roared their approval when a Jamie Heaslip-won lineout unleashed O'Brien for a barnstorming run. He ploughed through David Skrela and set up a promising position in the French 22.

Ireland attacked out to the right before O'Connell barged up on the left and after Earls was stopped a couple of metres short, Healy picked off the base and muscled his way over in the corner past an exposed Parra.

Sexton failed to convert but it was a business-like start from the men in green and they continued to force the pace, with Trimble chasing down Louis Picamoles and winning a scrum.

Ireland were strong at the breakdown and in the set piece, maintaining a high work-rate. Scrum half O'Leary benefited from quick ruck ball, with Donncha O'Callaghan, Heaslip and Jennings proving particularly effective in that area.

However, France found their rhythm in the second quarter. They settled after Parra converted a Picamoles-won penalty to open their account.

The deficit was down to just two points when Trinh-Duc fielded a clearance kick from O'Leary and thumped over a superb drop goal from just inside the Irish half.

Two minutes later, the French backs connected to telling effect. From a lineout in the 22, they passed into midfield where Rougerie stepped inside O'Driscoll and although D'Arcy got to him, the French centre was able to pop the ball to Heymans, who timed his angled run to perfection and touched down to the left of the posts.

Parra tagged on the extras and with Ireland's error count increasing and the French forwards carrying more ball, he converted his second penalty on the cusp of half-time.

Kidney's charges tried to rediscover their form of the first 20 minutes, and there were good early signs in the second period with some solid first-up tackling and an excellent high catch by Trimble.

Nonetheless, France remained a potent force and a slick link-up between Picamoles and Alexis Palisson off the back of a scrum created a try-scoring opportunity. Ireland coughed up a penalty near their line which Parra duly swung over for three more points.

D'Arcy and O'Driscoll probed in midfield and France countered through Fabrice Estebanez and the increasingly influential Parra and Picamoles.

A strong Irish scrum mattered little when O'Leary overran Heaslip's pass and he compounded the error by attempting to find Sexton with a long, looping effort. Trinh-Duc swooped to gather it and claim a soft seven-pointer for France.

Ireland's response was encouraging, O'Connell snaffling a turnover and Rory Best and Mike Ross adding their bulk to a counter attack over the ten-metre line.

The home side increased the intensity and Earls, having followed up on a cross-field kick from Sexton, was tackled into touch by Maxime Médard a couple of metres out from the whitewash.

The physicality of the Irish pack gained two close-in penalties. Twice they called for scrums but France managed to soak up the pressure and clear the danger.

Trinh-Duc missed a drop goal attempt as les Bleus advanced back towards the Irish 22, before strong carries from replacements Ferris and Jerry Flannery set up a penalty which Sexton turned into a five-metre lineout.

However, the good work was undone when Ireland failed to use possession at the next ruck after repeated warnings from referee Craig Joubert.

O'Gara's introduction saw Sexton move outside him but Ireland had to cope with the loss of Jones, who fell awkwardly and injured his right foot when competing for a high ball with Rougerie.

As they did in Bordeaux, Ireland ended the game going forward. Flannery and Ferris threw themselves about to good effect and Fitzgerald's electrifying run paved the way for Sexton to crash over past Vincent Clerc. The conversion from O'Gara made it 26-15.

It was Sexton's maiden international try and in an energetic final few minutes, Ireland crossed the French line again. Carries from Heaslip and Sexton preceded a penalty which O'Gara kicked to touch for a final lineout.

Mike McCarthy got clean ball for fellow replacement Eoin Reddan and a neat reverse pass from O'Gara almost put Fitzgerald over. A penalty was won and quickly taken, with Reddan feeding O'Brien for his first Test score.