In France, cases of bacterial meningitis are monitored at the national level through two surveillance systems: mandatory reporting and the EPIBAC network of hospital laboratories. The number of bacterial meningitis cases reported in 2002 was approximately 1,500. The most frequently isolated bacteria are, in descending order: pneumococcus, 49% of cases (incidence 1.19 per 100,000 inhabitants); meningococcus, 33% (incidence 0.83); and group B streptococcus, 11% (incidence 0.27). Listeria accounts for 4% of cases (incidence 0.11) and H. influenzae for 3% (incidence 0.08). Trends in incidence show an increase in meningococcal meningitis since 1996, a decrease in Listeria and H. influenzae meningitis since 1992, and a relatively stable number of cases of pneumococcal, group B streptococcal, and tuberculous meningitis over the past 10 years. The impact of preventive measures against H. influenzae type b and Listeria meningitis has been clearly demonstrated by the decrease in the incidence of meningitis linked to these bacteria.