WALES kept their Six Nations title hopes alive with an historic and hard-earned 20-13 win over France in Paris.

It was a fourth-successive victory over the French for Warren Gatland’s men – the first time that has been achieved by Wales since 1957.

And it was a fully merited success with Leigh Halfpenny kicking five penalties out of five and Dan Biggar scoring his first try for his country.

But Brice Dulin’s late try made it too close for comfort for Wales, who dominated possession but could only really relax once Halfpenny’s final penalty went over seven minutes from the end.

By the break the flag-waving, allez le bleus-chanting fervent home support had turned into a seething hotbed of jeers and whistles as Camille Lopez missed a second simple penalty kick.

But Gatland’s men will feel they should have been further ahead than 6-3 at the turnaround having had 76 per cent of the possession in the opening 40 minutes.

Halfpenny opened his account in the eighth minute with a simple penalty in front of the posts and Lopez levelled with his first attempt ten minutes later.

In between the visitors were grateful to captain Sam Warburton for an expertly executed tap tackle on Remi Lamerat as he threatened to burst through the middle and under the posts.

Lopez missed his second penalty attempt, his kick just grazing the left upright, but Halfpenny made no mistake after 29 minutes to make it 6-3.

Hymns and Arias rang out around the Stade de France for the first time in the evening on half an hour but it was drowned out as the hosts thought they had crossed for the opening try shortly afterwards.

Lopez was the guilty man as he was correctly adjudged to have made a forward pass to wing Yoann Huget, who touched down in the corner.

Loud boos and whistles swept around the ground as Wales were let of the hook again when Lopez missed another penalty attempt in the last action of the first half.

Morgan Parra took over the kicking duties early on in the second but that proved to be short lived as he too missed the target.

Despite their penalty woes, the hosts started the second half full of fire in their bellies.

Wesley Fofana was sent streaking clear with Sofiane Guitoune in support and Liam Williams just about got back to pull the centre to the floor.

France recycled the ball but Mathieu Bastareaud, who had replaced Lamerat after only 18 minutes, had the benefit of a blocking runner as he crashed up the middle and referee Jaco Peyper spotted it.

Lopez then finally kicked France level at 6-6 after 49 minutes but Halfpenny soon restored the Welsh lead with his third penalty of the game.

At the other end Biggar was desperately unlucky to hit the post with a drop goal attempt.

But moments later the Ospreys star was celebrating as he benefited from a superb break by Rhys Webb and an outstanding reverse pass by Dan Lydiate before just about having the legs to cross in the corner.

That silenced the home fans and Halfpenny, though he missed the conversion after slipping on the turf, soon nailed another penalty to extend Wales’ lead to 17-6 with just 16 minutes left on the clock.

But any thought of a comfortable denouement for the visitors went out of the window as Dulin blasted past Lydiate and over for a French try on 68 minutes.

And with Lopez finally finding his form with the boot he kicked the tough conversion to bring it back to 17-13 with just over ten minutes remaining.

Wales earned some much-needed breathing space as Halfpenny sent over his fifth penalty to leave France needing a converted try to tie in the final seven minutes of the match.

They couldn’t manage it and the Welsh fans singing Land of My Fathers could celebrate another deserved victory in the French capital.

France: B Dulin; Y Huget, R Lamerat, W Fofana (R Tales, 69), S Guitoune; C Lopez, M Parra (S Tillous-Borde, 52); E Ben Arous (V Debaty, 52), G Guirado (B Kayser, 52), R Slimani (U Atonio, 52), R Taofifenua (J Suta, 61), Y Maestri, T Dusautoir, B Le Roux, D Chouly (L Goujon, 73)

Wales: L Halfpenny, G North, J Davies, J Roberts, L Williams, D Biggar (R Priestland, 75), R Webb, G Jenkins (P James, 70), S Baldwin (R Hibbard, 70), S Lee (A Jarvis, 79), L Charteris (B Davies, 70), A Wyn Jones, D Lydiate, S Warburton (J Tipuric, 70), T Faletau

Referee: Jaco Peyper