Les Bleus extended their winning run to 14 Tests but only after the Azzurri came agonisingly close to producing a famous upset in Rome.

Thibaud Flament, Thomas Ramos and Ethan Dumortier crossed in the first half for France but it only led 19-14 at the break after an Ange Capuozzo try and three Tommaso Allan penalties.

A penalty try that led to Charles Ollivon sent to the sin-bin left Italy only 22-21 down and Allen's penalty put the host in front with just under 20 minutes to play.

Jalibert came off the bench to score the decisive try 14 minutes from time, though, with indisciplined France withstanding late pressure to cling on after Allen missed a penalty.

France was gifted an early lead by a Stephen Varney box kick that Flament charged down and coasted in for a simple finish, but Allan reduced the deficit to 7-3 with a penalty.

Ollivon had a try ruled out for a knock-on after another Italy error but Ramos was on hand to dot down a loose ball after neither Capuozzo nor Damian Penaud were able to gather Romain Ntamack's cross-field kick.

Allen was on target with a second penalty before another pinpoint Ntamack kick to the left flank put a first Test score on a plate for Dumortier, Ramos adding the extras.

The Azzurri continued to pose a threat of their own and the livewire Capuozzo finished superbly in the left corner, with Allen missing the conversion but slotting over a penalty on the stroke of half-time.

Ramos made no mistake from the tee early in the second half but Italy was only a point down when referee Matthew Carley awarded it a penalty try and showed Ollivon a yellow card for bringing down a driving maul after 52 minutes.

Allen sensationally booted Kieran Crowley's side in front just before Ollivon returned, only for Jalibert to crash over after taking a sublime offload from fellow replacement Romain Taofifenua to put Les Bleus back into the lead.

Italy was not finished yet but Allen was unable to send another kick between the posts and France dug in under big pressure in the closing stages to avoid an upset.

France heads to Dublin for a huge battle with Ireland on Sunday (AEDT) with Italy travelling to Twickenham to face England a day later.