France had established a 16-0 lead at the break and looked odds-on favourites to seal a morale-boosting win in their Guinness Six Nations opener.
But Wales started the second half on fire, and the French confidence came crumbling down.
First, Josh Adams sniped from around the ruck and went clear to release Tomos Williams for a brilliant score that began the fightback.
If the first Welsh try owed much to Adams’ brilliance, the second was all about French folly.
Yoann Huget had all the time in the world to fall on Gareth Anscombe’s overhit kick through, but somehow contrived to cough it up over the try line and there was North to pounce.
France regained their composure, and re-took the lead when Camille Lopez replied to Dan Biggar’s penalty. Felix Lambey catching the eye from the French bench also.
But no sooner had they re-gained the lead, then they threw it away as Sebastien Vahaamahin’s rash pass was picked off by North who went the distance for the score.
