New Zealand 22 France 27:France ended 15 years of heartache on New Zealand soil with victory against the All Blacks in Dunedin. It was just their fourth win since their first visit in 1961 and came 20 months after France bundled the same opponents out of the World Cup in Cardiff.
The French showed no mercy against an inexperienced New Zealand side shorn of their leading stars.
As in 1994, when they last tasted success in New Zealand, France will now have the opportunity to push on for a series win when the teams head to Wellington for the seond and final Test next weekend.
In the build-up to the clash at Carisbrook, All Blacks coach Graham Henry had talked about the match being a learning experience for his young charges - and it proved to be a tough lesson in the end.
The All Blacks were without Richie McCaw, Daniel Carter, Ali Williams, Rodney So'oialo, Conrad Smith, Sitiveni Sivivatu and a host of others.
French coach Marc Lievremont has encouraged his players to take a more attacking approach after the conservative years of Bernard Laporte, and their endeavours brought them tries from Francois Trinh-Duc and Williams Servat.
Full-back Maxime Medard scored an interception try nine minutes from the end which had appeared to give them a comfortable 10-point margin.
But a late try from Ma'a Nonu, following a first-half effort from Liam Messam, ensured a tense finish.
The early points came from the boots of Julien Dupuy and Stephen Donald who exchanged early penalties before French fly-half Trinh-Duc went over for the game's first try, converted by half-back partner Julien Dupuy.
Trinh-Duc fired a drop-goal attempt well wide in the 26th minute, but two minutes later hooker Servat was burrowing his way over, and Dupuy kicked the conversion.
Donald narrowed the deficit to 17-6 with his second penalty and soon afterwards Messam dived over in the corner for his first international try, after being fed a pass by Cory Jane.
Two more Donald penalties locked the scores up at 17-17 midway through the second half.
Dupuy missed a penalty when Neemia Tialata was penalised for taking down the scrum, but then found his range to edge the French ahead again.
Medard's 60-metre race to dive under the posts effectively sealed the famous victory, before Nonu's late score in the left corner.
New Zealand(11) 22
Tries: Messam, Nonu
Penalties: Donald (4)
France(17) 27
Tries: Trinh-Duc, Servat, Medard
Conversions: Dupuy (3)
Penalties: Dupuy (2)
New Zealand: Muliaina (captain); Rokocoko, Toeava, Nonu, Wulf; Donald, Cowan; Woodcock, Hore, Tialata, Thorn, Ross, Read, Thomson, Messam.
Replacements: Mealamu, Afoa, B Evans, Latimer, Weepu, McAlister, Jane.
France: Medard; Heymans, Bastareaud, Traille, Clerc; Trinh-Duc, Dupuy; Barcella, Servat, Marconnet, Pape, Millo-Chluski, Dusautoir (captain), Ouedraogo, Picamoles.
Replacements: Szarzewski, Domingo, Chabal, Martin, Yachvili, Jauzion, Palisson.
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
