French TV exports continuedto rise in 2005 according to a study by film board theCNC and TV France International, the country's TV exportorganisation.

At TV France International'sannual Rendez Vous held inSt Tropez this week, organizers announced that for 2005 sales totalled $192.5m(Euros 150.8m) for a 2.7% increase over last year.

The US has become the leading export market for Frenchprogramming, notably in animation. In 2005, $14m (Euros 11m) worth of TV farewas picked up by the US compared with $7.5m (Euros 5.9m) the year before.There are currently 20 animated French series broadcast in the US.

Other territories whichexperienced growth included Western Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.

Apart from animated series,documentaries also fared better while fiction recovered from a three-year slumpwith a 20.4% hike in international sales. Following a very strong 2004,however, presales faced a downturn of .8%.

Interesting to note is theimpact of the credit d'impot.The tax break, which has helped stem runaway film production, also applies totelevision and was responsible for the repatriation of a significant amount ofshoots. International co-productions, in turn, were down 21.6% on 2004.

The St Tropez gathering hasenjoyed record attendance this year welcoming 206 executives from 123 channelsin 42 countries. The Rendez Voushas become a key stop on the international TV sales circuit falling, as itdoes, a month before MipTV which allows exporters andbuyers a prime opportunity to kick off the season.