BACKGROUND: Asthma-related morbidity, mortality and socioeconomic cost represent significant public health problems. Despite efficient therapies, in 1999 asthma still killed around 2000 people in France. METHODS: This study investigated the changes in asthma-related mortality in metropolitan France between 1980 and 2005 and examined its regional disparities. Annual age- and gender-specific mortality rates for asthma were calculated, as well as age-standardized rates. The change in asthma-related mortality was estimated by the annual average rate of change fitted using a log-linear regression model. Lastly, regional disparities were mapped. RESULTS: After having levelled off between 1990 and 1995, asthma-related mortality significantly decreased. From 2000 onwards the drop was more rapid in men than in women. The observed decrease was significant only in people over 35. In 2005, there were 1129 deaths due to asthma. Moreover, regional disparities could be seen. CONCLUSIONS: The decline of asthma-related mortality that started in 1986 continued until 2005. Possible explanations could be better patient care, including the use of inhaled corticosteroids and therapeutic education, and improvement in the recording of deaths.