France has the lowest card penetration in Western Europe, with less than one payment card in circulation per person, according to research firm Verdict Financial.

Moreover, despite what would seem to be a golden opportunity for card providers the card market has seen practically no growth over the last five years, according to the report, "Consumer Payments Country Snapshot: France."

Samuel Murrant, a senior analyst at Verdict Financial, said that new technologies — especially NFC and mobile payments — present opportunities for providers, but exploiting their potential will be a slow process.

"Inertia is a powerful force in payments," Murant said. "For all of the new technologies entering the market, it will take a long time for their benefits to become apparent to consumers."

In a recent consumer survey regarding mobile wallets, 44 percent of French consumers stated that they had no interest in obtaining one, underscoring consumers' resistance to changing their payment habits.

The French are similarly uninterested in contactless card technology. Due to concerns over its security, contactless has gained little traction in France.

Mobile payments are perceived even less desirable to French consumers, resulting in a general lack of products in the market, according to the report.