Introduction: In young children, chronic lead poisoning can cause anemia and persistent cognitive impairment. The source of poisoning is generally lead-based paint found in older, dilapidated housing. The primary objective of this study was to determine the number of children screened as well as the number of new cases of childhood lead poisoning in France and to describe their temporal and spatial distribution. The study also aimed to investigate the factors associated with elevated blood lead levels. Methods: The study population consisted of all children under the age of 18 living in France whose blood lead levels were measured at least once between 1995 and 2002. The data source was the National Surveillance System for Childhood Lead Poisoning (SNSSI), a registry of blood lead levels and the sociodemographic and medical characteristics of children. Results: A total of 36,151 children (35 per 100,000 children per year) had their blood lead levels measured for the first time between 1995 and 2002. Most of them (95%) were under 7 years of age. Among the children tested, 5,974 new cases of lead poisoning were diagnosed, corresponding to an average annual incidence rate of 5.9 per 100,000 person-years. The majority (87%) resided in Île-de-France, Rhône-Alpes, or Nord-Pas-de-Calais, and 66% of the new cases lived in Paris or its suburbs. The percentage of children with blood lead levels above the threshold of 100 μg/L fell from 24.5% in 1995 to 8.5% in 2002. Two-thirds of the children screened (64%) lived in older, dilapidated housing, and among them, 1 in 6 had lead poisoning. Conclusions: The incidence of childhood lead poisoning has been steadily declining since 1995. Nevertheless, screening for childhood lead poisoning remains highly inconsistent. Although the risk factors for lead poisoning are not evenly distributed across the country (particularly older, dilapidated housing and industrial sites), many children exposed to lead have not had their blood lead levels measured, and not all cases of poisoning have been identified.