French households' consumption in goods rose by 0.6 percent in April from March, driven by bounced expenditure in energy, national statistics institute Insee said on Thursday.

At the end of April, French consumers bought 10.2 percent more energy goods as "cold temperatures in April notably drove heating purchases up," Insee noted in its monthly report.

Due to unfavorable weather that slashed purchases in spring-summer clothes, consumption of textile and leather products reported its lowest level for a decade with a sharp fall of 8.2 percent compared to a 0.3 decrease in March, it added.

Last month, expenditure in cars lost 2 percent after gaining ground a month earlier as escalating financial crisis forced consumers to clinch their belt.

France, the second biggest economy in eurozone, estimated that its 2012 inflation rate would stand at 1.7 percent earlier this year.