Introduction: Pulmonary embolism (PE) accounts for approximately 55,000 hospitalizations and 15,000 deaths per year. Seasonal variations in mortality from pulmonary embolism (PE) have been reported. Our objective was to investigate this variability using French mortality and hospitalization data. Methods: Deaths from PE (among multiple causes) between 2000 and 2010 were extracted from national databases on medical causes of death. Patients admitted for short-term hospitalization between 2002 and 2010 were identified in the PMSI databases based on a diagnosis (primary or secondary) of PE. Seasonal variations were analyzed using a Poisson model. Analyses stratified by sex and age were also conducted. Results: Winter is associated with an approximately 20% increase compared to summer in the number of deaths and hospitalizations due to PE. Seasonality was not modified by gender but varied according to the individuals’ age. The winter increase in the number of deaths was 28% among those over 65 years of age, compared with only 7% among those under 65. The variations were similar for the number of hospitalized patients. Discussion: A winter increase in mortality and the number of patients hospitalized for PE was observed. This could be linked to cold-induced vasoconstriction, decreased physical activity, and coagulation activation associated with winter infections. During the winter months, increased vigilance is necessary among individuals with risk factors. (R.A.)