Champagne, cognac lead record French alcohol exports

France scored record-breaking sales of wines and spirits in 2015, thanks mainly to robust exports of champagne and cognac, with 11.7 billion euros ($13.15 billion) flowing in.

On the downside, France's place in the world market continued to slip in the face of cheaper, more aggressive rivals.

"This good result should not distract from the constant erosion of our market share," says Christophe Navarre, president of the French Federation of Wines and Spirits Exporters.