Since the start of Phase 3 of the COVID-19 epidemic surveillance (population-based surveillance), mortality surveillance has been conducted using the various systems available to Santé publique France: all-cause mortality from civil registry offices; deaths associated with COVID-19 reported by hospitals (SI-VIC system) and by nursing homes (EHPAD) and medical-social facilities (EMS); and deaths certified electronically. Based on these sources, it is estimated that excess mortality linked to the COVID-19 epidemic between March 2 and May 31, 2020, in France ranges from 25,000 (estimated from INSEE civil registry data) and 30,000 excess deaths (estimated from SI-VIC and EHPAD/EMS data). This range reflects the uncertainties that remain regarding the estimation of this excess, given the concurrent occurrence of excess mortality—directly and indirectly associated with the pandemic—and reduced mortality, linked to the protective effect of lockdown measures on causes of death other than COVID-19. Only an analysis of comprehensive Inserm-CépiDc data, including medical causes of death (available at the earliest by the end of 2020), will allow these initial results to be refined. This report emphasizes the urgency of rolling out the use of electronic death certification nationwide. Electronic death certification would provide a single, sustainable source for reactive mortality surveillance, regardless of the nature of the health threat (infectious, environmental, bioterrorism, major industrial accident, etc.) and the location of death (home, nursing home, hospital, etc.).