No side aims to play a bronze-medal fixture, but Germany looked determined to make the most of it.
Nick Woltemade and Karim Adeyemi forced saves from Mike Maignan, while Lucas Digne crucially blocked a Niclas Fullkrug effort with his head, as Germany had five shots in the first six minutes.
France weathered the early storm, though a Loic Bade header from a corner that forced Marc-Andre ter Stegen to stretch every sinew to deny him was their only effort of note before the half-hour mark.
At which point, Adeyemi latched onto a ball over the top before hitting the deck as he attempted to round Maignan. Referee Ivan Kruzliak awarded Germany a penalty, only to overturn his decision and book Adeyemi for diving following a lengthy VAR check.
The home side kept pressing, with Florian Wirtz seeing his side-footed effort strike the post, before David Raum crossed for Woltemade, but Maignan reacted superbly to turn his strike around the post.
Right on the stroke of half-time, Germany were left cursing their luck as France took the lead against the run of play; Aurelien Tchouameni’s cross was brought down by Kylian Mbappe, who cut inside and guided his strike past Ter Stegen and into the net.
Mbappe nearly repeated the trick a minute into the second half, only this time, his shot hit the side netting.
That miss briefly looked crucial seven minutes later when Deniz Undav slotted home a would-be equaliser, only for it to be disallowed following another VAR check, as Fullkrug was adjudged to have fouled Adrien Rabiot in the build-up.
French attempts to rub salt in the wounds came close to coming off, but Marcus Thuram’s shot hit the upright after good work from Randal Kolo Muani.
Les Bleus had lost the previous two meetings, and only the fingertips of Ter Stegen denying Thuram and an Mbappe volley in the last 20 minutes were preventing them from ending that run.
Finally, Didier Deschamps’ side wrapped things up six minutes from time, as Mbappe raced clear of the tired defence, drew the goalkeeper, and squared for Michael Olise to tap into an empty net.
France add bronze to the Nations League gold medals they won in 2020/21, while Germany are yet to win silverware in the competition.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Kylian Mbappe (France)