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France: euro's fall has been very helpful; at a good level now

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The euro's depreciation has been very helpful, but it is a good level now and stability is needed now, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said on Saturday.

"The fall in the value of the euro is very good news for all of Europe and in particular for France. It's very good news," Sapin told reporters during meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

A weaker euro helps facilitate the sale outside the euro zone of airplanes and other products, and enables European countries to defend themselves against goods that arrive from abroad, he said.

"So today, we're in a good situation. The euro is at a good level. It's one of the elements...that enable us to have stronger growth in France," he said.

But now the euro zone economies need stability, he said. They had needed to evolve, and that has happened thanks to the European Central Bank's policy of monetary easing.

"When you see the evolution of the value of the euro, it's substantial," he said, adding that the moment arrives when stability is needed so people are not always in a wait-and-see mode.

"So I think what would be good for the European economy is a vision of stability. It doesn't mean things won't move. Markets can move...but the perspective that seems good is one of stability," he said.

(Reporting by Randall Palmer; Editing by Andrea Ricci)