It was a historic result as Zarco became the first French rider in more than seven decades to win his home grand prix.
The result owed much to a strategy gamble as rain hit the Bugatti circuit, prompting a red-flagged start as the field took to pit lane at the end of the warm-up lap.
That came as they left the grid on slick tyres, pole-sitter Fabio Quartararo almost dropping his Yamaha at Turn 3 before the race had even begun.
At the end of the lap, the entire field took to the pit lane to swap to their wet-weather bikes, prompting a red flag and an aborted start for ‘excessive riders in pit lane’.
Minutes later, on their wet bikes, the field circled around to the grid for a quick restart procedure.
However, a number of riders dived back into the lane, incurring a double long lap penalty as a result as the pits were closed at the time, to switch back onto their dry weather bikes.
That again triggered a delay with the field taking to the grid as one and the race finally beginning almost 15 minutes later than scheduled – with much of the pack poised to serve penalties.
The drama didn’t end there as Bagnaia crashed at the opening chicane as Marc Marquez took the lead.
Quartararo and Binder were casualties at the final corner soon after as, with the weather closing in, those on slicks dived in to swap back onto their wet bikes.
As that transpired, Zarco emerged as the race leader courtesy of simply staying on track on wet tyres.
That left him with a comfortable advantage with 19 laps remaining, and the Frenchman went on to win comfortably.
Former championship leader Alex Marquez twice crashed, the second time terminally.
Jack Miller also failed to see the flag for the third successive race.
Marc Marquez finished second, and Fermin Aldeguer claimed his first MotoGP podium with third.
Marc Marquez leads the MotoGP title race from brother Alex after six rounds, with Bagnaia third.
Honda-shod Zarco is the best-placed non-Ducati rider in sixth, 99 points behind the points leader.
MotoGP next heads to Silverstone on May 25 for Round 7 of the 22-event season.
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