Aims To investigate the annual and monthly hospital incidence rate of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs) from 2010 to 2016 in France at the national and regional levels. Methods In this nationwide database study, we identified hospital and clinic admissions of French residents for a first episode of RRD in France during 2010–2016 from the national administrative database. The annual and monthly hospital incidence rates of RRD per 100 000 population were calculated for the whole country and for each region. Results The average annual national hospital incidence rate of RRD was 21.97±1.04 per 100 000 population. The annual national hospital incidence rate of RRD was the lowest in 2010 (20.91 per 100 000 population) after which it increased until 2015 (23.55 per 100 000 population). The average monthly national RRD hospital incidence rate was the highest in June (2.03±0.12 per 100 000 population) and the lowest in August (1.60±0.09). The average annual age-standardised and sex-standardised regional hospital incidence rate was the highest in Guadeloupe and Pays de la Loire (28.30±2.74 and 26.13±0.84 per 100 000 population, respectively) and the lowest in French Guiana and Martinique (15.51±3.50 and 17.29±2.12 per 100 000 population, respectively). Conclusions The average annual national hospital incidence rate of RRD increased from 2010 to 2015. The hospital incidence rate of RRD seemed to vary according to season and geographical location.