England manager Martin Johnson felt his team came of age in Paris.

But he was ultimately left frustrated as France held out for a 12-10 win that sealed the Grand Slam.

England produced their most ambitious attacking performance of the RBS 6 Nations championship and took an early lead with a try from Ben Foden, who was making his first Test start.

Johnson had revamped his back division in search of some vibrancy after last weekend's drab 15-15 draw with Scotland and he got it.

Foden proved he is ready for Test rugby, Chris Ashton enjoyed an impressive debut, Mike Tindall shone on his return to the England team and Toby Flood sparked the backs in a way Jonny Wilkinson has struggled to.

But in the end, France ground out the victory with three penalties from Morgan Parra and a Francois Trinh-Duc drop-goal on the back of a dominant first-half scrummaging performance.

"Of course we are frustrated, we lost," said Johnson.

"But I said to the guys as France picked up the trophy 'you have played the Grand Slam champions and you took them all the way'.

"A lot of players came of age today. It was Danny Care's best performance for England, Toby Flood as well in the way he managed the game and managed the week after coming in for Jonny Wilkinson.

"It was great to have Mike Tindall back. Ben Foden's counter-attacking, his play under the high ball was great.

"Mark Cueto was outstanding again and Ashton handled it very well."

France took the sting out of England's early adventure with a superior kicking game and a dominant first-half scrummaging performance.

Parra kicked three penalties and that proved decisive.

"They won the kicking game in the first half and their set piece got us under pressure," added Johnson.

"We did well still to be in the game at half-time with the penalty count against us.

"In the second half we were tactically better and the majority of the game was played in their half."

But England could not break down the French resistance and were limited to a Wilkinson penalty.

While France celebrated the Grand Slam, England finished the tournament in third place with two wins and a draw.

Johnson felt it was a case of what might have been.

"We have lost two games by a combined total of six points. We missed a penalty by one metre in the drawn Scotland game. It was a case of could have. But there are probably four teams saying that," Johnson added.

The France coach Marc Lievremont rebuilt the side when he took over after the 2007 World Cup and it has not been an easy process.

This was his first victory over England in three attempts.

"It is a very nice baby even if the birth was quite difficult," said Lievremont.

"For the first time we have reached the end of a series or a tournament and I can be satisfied. We have a Grand Slam to celebrate.

"I am very proud of this team for the bravery they showed in the 80 minutes.

"It is five victories and a Grand Slam but we have to pay tribute to the England team. It was very difficult and they played their best against us.

"We owe a lot to our forwards tonight and I am happy for the forwards that Nicolas Mas was named man of the match. No scrum, no win."