The INSEE statistics agency said French consumer prices rose by 0.9 percent in March from February, giving a 12-month rate of 1.3 percent - marking the lowest reading since February 2018.

Euro zone inflation has steadily drifted lower in recent months despite rising wages and record high employment.

Data at the start of April showed that inflation in the euro zone slowed to 1.4 percent in March from 1.5 percent a month earlier, below the ECB's target for having inflation of almost 2 percent within the euro zone bloc.

German inflation also remained below the European Central Bank's target level for a fourth consecutive month in March.