This article presents a methodological discussion based on an economic assessment of the mortality impacts of chronic exposure to fine particulate matter in mainland France. It takes as its starting point the quantitative health impact assessment (EQIS) conducted by Santé publique France in 2016, which examined five scenarios for reducing particulate matter concentrations using two methods of measuring mortality (number of premature deaths averted and total number of life-years gained). After justifying the monetary values used—€3 million for the value of avoiding one death and €80,000 for the value of one life-year gained—we apply them to the health data and obtain results comparable to those of contemporary studies. In particular, in a scenario without anthropogenic pollution, the 2016 EQIS estimates 48,283 premature deaths avoided, which we value at €144.85 billion (2008 prices). We then examine the methods and practices, beginning by identifying the sources of divergence from the previous French study conducted in 1998–99, whose estimate was five times lower despite higher particulate emissions. Next, we discuss the choice of monetary values and the conditions for using these results in public decision-making. Finally, we provide further evidence of the need to reduce the population’s exposure to ambient air pollution in France.