Les Bleus ended a run of seven straight Championship matches without a win but with Tim Visser scoring a late try, France could not get the winning margin they needed to avoid finishing last.

The hosts were on top in the first half but their forwards were unable to break through the resolute Scotland defence but as the rain held off in the second half, so the French opened the floodgates.

The opening exchanges were marred by handling errors however as both sides found the slippery ball difficult to hold onto and a fumble from Stuart Hogg almost led to the first try.

From the resulting scrum, Louis Picamoles picked up and darted down the blindside and the ball was worked to France winger Vincent Clerc but he was dragged into touch just short of the try-line.

After withstanding the early pressure, Scotland then worked their way up field and after going through the phases they earned themselves a penalty - Picamoles pinged for not rolling away.

Greig Laidlaw was on target with the penalty to give Scotland the lead against the run of play and while France came again and camped themselves in the visitors' 22, it was Laidlaw who was next on the scoresheet.

France were penalised for tackling Johnnie Beattie too early after he had claimed the lineout and Laidlaw bisected the posts again to give Scotland a 6-0 lead on 14 minutes.

Midway through the first half, France enjoyed a slice of luck when Frederic Michalak's penalty kick for the corner appeared to be kept in by Stuart Hogg but he knocked on, giving les Bleus a scrum five metres from the Scotland line.

The French laid siege to the Scotland line, turning down a kick for the posts for another scrum, but while Picamoles and Fofana came close, France could not find a way through as handling errors crept in again.

A piece of magic from Michalak almost resulted in France getting the breakthrough on the half-hour mark - his crossfield kick was volleyed forward by Clerc and while Huget gathered the ball to feed Fofana, the centre was stopped just short of the try-line as against les Bleus threatened but couldn't breach the Scottish defence.

And it was Scotland who finished the half stronger thanks to two piercing counter-attacks from Hogg, the second of which resulted in replacement Max Evans chipping ahead, only to see the covering Medard get back to avert the danger.

Hogg then had a long range drop goal in the closing stages of the half but saw his effort drift wide, ensuring Scotland went into the half-time interval 6-0 to the good.

France came roaring out of the blocks in the second half and trimmed the deficit to just three on 44 minutes when les Bleus' dominance at the scrum was rewarded - Michalak opening his account from the tee.

And five minutes later the scores were level after a concerted period of pressure from France almost resulted in the first try of the match.

Knowing that his side already had the penalty, Michalak kicked across the field for Clerc, who stepped inside but couldn't find a way over, ensuring referee Nigel Owens called the play back and the French fly-half knocked over his second penalty of the match.

France, and Michalak, had their tails up and they took the lead after more pressure on the increasingly desperate Scots, this time Alasdair Strokosch penalised for not rolling away.

Michalak knocked over his third penalty and, aware that they needed to win by more than 16 points to avoid finishing bottom, back the French came again.

Where the ball was going to ground in the first half, in the second it was staying in hand and the impressive Huget almost found his way through on the right, only for some last-ditch tackling to keep les Bleus' tide out.

But as they have done throughout the tournament, back came Scotland and Laidlaw levelled the scores after France were offside following a knock-on from replacement Maxime Machenaud.

France continued to carry the fight to their opposition and looked certain to score when replacement hooker Vincent Debaty burst through challenges from Euan Murray and Greig Laidlaw but with Clerc outside him and the try-line beckoning, he failed to release his winger.

But on 66 minutes, the inevitable score came when Medard made the initial break, Bastareaud took the ball on before a sharp pass from Yannick Nyanga found Fofana on the right and he forced his way over and under the posts - Michalak converting for a 16-9 lead.

France could sense that Scotland were there for the taking and on 70 minutes they had their second try of the contest.

After knocking on the door all match, Bastareaud finally made a telling break and as Scotland scrambled back, Machenaud burst forward and popped the ball inside to Medard who dived over.

Michalak had picked up an injury, so Machenaud took the conversion and was on target, ensuring France needed just one more score of any kind to avoid last spot.

But in response, Hogg then made one of his trademark breaks and while he couldn't make it all the way, Scotland looked certain to score a late try, only for Ruaridh Jackson to knock on.

But with France pushing for another score, Scotland broke up field through Matt Scott, who found the supporting Visser inside to dot down the try that ensured les Bleus finish at the bottom of the pile.