Objective To compare incidence rates and epidemiological characteristics of acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage (AUGIH) in France with those of other European studies. Design Population‐based multi‐centre prospective survey. Setting 29 public hospitals and 96 private specialists in gastroenterology in four administrative areas in France during 1996. Subjects A total of 2133 AUGIH patients 18 years and over were included in the six‐month study. Outcome measures Incidence and mortality. Results The overall incidence in France was 143 cases per 100 000 persons per year, classified as out‐patients (16%), emergency admissions (59%) and in‐patients (25%). The incidence rates increased with age except for in‐patients, and were higher in males. Peptic ulcer (36.6%), varices (13.7%) and erosive disease (12.3%) were the most frequent diagnoses. In 677 patients (31.7%), aspirin, antiinflammatory drugs or corticosteroids were taken on the 7 days before bleeding. The overall mortality (out‐patients excluded) was 14.3% (10.7% for emergency patients and 23% for in‐patients). Mortality was associated with comorbidities (especially malignancies, cirrhosis, asthma or respiratory deficiency), was lower in emergency patients using non‐steroid anti‐inflammatory drugs, and higher in in‐patients using corticosteroids. Conclusions In France, patients with AUGIH are frequently managed as out‐patients. Gastrotoxic drug use is frequently associated with AUGIH and constitutes a strategic opportunity for preventive treatment. Discrepancies between countries are not clearly explained either by demographic factors or by drug use, but this may be related to the emphasis on AUGIH in in‐patients. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 12:175‐181 © 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology 2000, 12:175‐181