The French wood industry is worried about geopolitics, tariffs, transport costs and China. Yet the biggest problem is much closer to home: France is not building enough housing.

That reality was impossible to ignore at Carrefour International du Bois 2026 in Nantes. Conversations about log prices, trade flows and export markets filled the exhibition halls, but nearly every discussion eventually returned to the same issue. When housing construction slows, demand for wood products follows.

Exhibitors spoke about rising costs, uncertain international markets and shifting trade flows. Yet the most frequently cited concern was the weakness of residential construction. From sawmills and timber merchants to engineered wood manufacturers and distributors, companies described a market where activity continues but growth remains elusive.