Introduction – France has one of the highest suicide rates among European countries. As in other countries, the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the population’s mental health. The objective of this study is to present findings on the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts in France in 2021, to identify the most affected populations, and to examine trends since the 2000s. Materials and Methods – In 2021, the Santé publique France Barometer surveyed a random sample of 24,514 individuals aged 18 to 85 residing in metropolitan France and 6,519 residing in the overseas departments and regions (DROM) via computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The variables of interest in our study are suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts in the past 12 months, as well as lifetime suicide attempts. Changes in prevalence were assessed among 18- to 75-year-olds using the 2000, 2005, 2010, 2014, 2017, 2020, and 2021 health barometers, which employed comparable methodologies. Results – In 2021, 4.2% of people aged 18–85 reported having thought about suicide in the past 12 months. In total, 6.8% reported a suicide attempt in their lifetime and 0.5% in the past year. Among 18- to 75-year-olds, the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and reported suicide attempts in the past year had been declining slightly since 2014, while the prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts had stabilized at around 7%. The main finding is a significant increase in suicidal thoughts and lifetime suicide attempts among 18- to 24-year-olds, observed over the past decade. Discussion – This study confirms the deterioration in young adults’ mental health also observed in data on emergency department visits and hospitalizations. In parallel with the implementation of the national suicide prevention strategy and the strengthening of care systems, a better understanding of the mechanisms affecting the mental health of young people since the COVID-19 pandemic is necessary to strengthen prevention policies.