French suckler cattle farming contributes to animal protein production and supports economic activity in many rural areas. By making use of grass from permanent grasslands and land that is unsuitable or difficult to cultivate, grassland-based systems also help maintain landscapes and preserve habitats that support biodiversity. However, these systems also exert environmental pressures, particularly on air, soil and water, through nitrogen flows, manure management and the use of certain agricultural inputs. This article provides an overview of the environmental pressures exerted by suckler cattle farming systems and the ecosystem services they deliver. It aims to improve our understanding of the interactions between these pressures and services and to identify the conditions under which food production, economic activity, environmental protection and the long-term sustainability of rural areas can be reconciled.