This article describes the characteristics of individuals diagnosed with HIV or AIDS in France in 2008, based on surveillance systems coordinated by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance: mandatory reporting of HIV and AIDS, and virological surveillance conducted by the National HIV Reference Center. The number of new HIV diagnoses among gay men has remained stable for the past two years, following an increase between 2003 and 2006. In 2008, these cases accounted for 37% of new diagnoses. Conversely, the number of new HIV diagnoses linked to heterosexual transmission, which had declined between 2004 and 2007, did not decrease further in 2008. These cases accounted for 60% of new diagnoses in 2008, half of which were among individuals of sub-Saharan African nationality. Among HIV-1 infections diagnosed in 2008, the proportion of non-B subtypes was 43%. Although the number of concurrent diagnoses of HIV infection and AIDS has been declining since 2003, testing remains late for some of those infected: nearly one-third of those who learned of their HIV-positive status in 2008 had a CD4 count below 200/mm³ and 13% were at the AIDS stage. (R.A.)