Cabannes has been in good form for Biarritz this season

Clermont duo Laurent Emmanuelli (prop) and Anthony Floch (full-back), and Biarritz hooker Benoit August are also in the 40-man party.

Sale's Sebastien Chabal and Sebastien Bruno, prop Nicolas Mas and full-back Clement Poitrenaud are all recalled.

And there is a return for back-rower Imanol Harinordoquy, who has not played for his country since last summer.

Toulouse fly-half Frederic Michalak has been ruled out of the Six Nations with a knee injury so David Skrela of Stade Francais wins a recall.

However, in-form Stade outside half Lionel Beauxis misses out.

Benjamin Boyet, Thomas Castaignede and skipper Fabien Pelous are all currently injured but are still selected.

Full-backs Julien Laharrague and Pepito Elhorga are dropped after poor showings in the November Tests.

France open their Six Nations campaign against Italy in Rome on 3 February.

Coach Bernard Laporte said recently that every member of his 40-man squad will play at least one game in the Six Nations, and that no player will feature in all five matches.

Backs: Jean-Baptiste Elissalde (Toulouse), Pierre Mignoni (Clermont), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), Bennjamin Boyet (Bourgoin), David Skrela (Stade Francais), Damien Traille (Biarritz), Romain Cabannes (Biarritz), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), David Marty (Perpignan), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Christophe Dominici (Stade Francais), Cedric Heymans (Toulouse), Aurelien Rougerie (Clermont), Thomas Castaignede (Saracens), Anthony Floch (Clermont), Clement Poitrenaud (Toulouse).

Forwards: Pieter De Villiers (Stade Francais), Laurent Emmanuelli (Clermont), Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Francais), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Olivier Milloud (Bourgoin), Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse), Benoit August (Biarritz), Sebastien Bruno (Sale), Raphael Ibanez (Wasps), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Francais), Gregory Lamboley (Toulouse), Lionel Nallet (Castres), Pascal Pape (Castres), Fabien Pelous (Toulouse), Jerome Thion (Biarritz), Serge Betsen (Biarritz), Julien Bonnaire (Bourgoin), Sebastien Chabal (Sale), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz), Remy Martin (Stade Francais), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Elvis Vermeulen (Clermont).