AIMS: We aim to describe the incidence of HF hospitalization in France in the post-pandemic era, the prevalence of HF cases and patients" characteristics, management and outcomes while focusing on sex, age and socio-economic differences and to analyse time-trends between 2012 and 2022. METHODS AND RESULTS: Based on the French health care database providing medical information for almost the whole French population, patients hospitalized for acute decompensated HF without history of HF in the 5 years were identified by the International Classification of Diseases - 10th revision (ICD-10) codes. In 2022, the estimated prevalence of HF was 1.7% in France and has increased until the COVID-19 pandemic and decreased thereafter. The incidence of acute HF decompensation reached 201.4 per 100 000 inhabitants and has decreased since 2012 (-1% per year). A significant increase of the HF incidence was found in men aged