Tuilagi replaces Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby) at centre and will win his 19th cap. It is one of three changes to the starting line-up made by head coach Stuart Lancaster.
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) comes in for Tom Youngs at hooker and Courtney Lawes replaces James Haskell in the back row. Youngs and Haskell drop to the bench.
Dan Cole and Geoff Parling join Tuilagi in the starting XV while the bench includes Toby Flood and Thomas Waldrom.
Lancaster said: “We thought long and hard about changing a winning team which did so well against Ireland. But we believe that Dylan, Courtney and Manu are ready for the opportunity and allow us to vary our play, while the bench will add impact and energy as the game unfolds in the second half.”
Former Tigers hooker Benjamin Kayser (Clermont) starts for Les Bleus.
The game is live on the televisions around Welford Road before Tigers take on Saracens in the Aviva Premiership on Saturday. Kick-off against Saracens is at 8pm and tickets are available now online, on 0844 856 1880 and from the ticket office.
England (v France, Saturday, 5pm, Twickenham Stadium, live on BBC One)
15 Alex Goode (Saracens, 8 caps)
14 Chris Ashton (Saracens, 31 caps)
13 Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 18 caps)
12 Brad Barritt (Saracens, 13 caps)
11 Mike Brown (Harlequins, 13 caps)
10 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 14 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 30 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 7 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 44 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 37 caps)
4. Joe Launchbury (London Wasps, 6 caps)
5 Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers, 14 caps)
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 17 caps)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt, 14 caps)
8 Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 15 caps)
Replacements
16 Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 6 caps)
17 David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 24 caps)
18 Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 6 caps)
19 James Haskell (London Wasps, 47 caps)
20 Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers, 5 caps)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins, 38 caps)
22 Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers, 54 caps)
23 Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 2 caps)
France
15 Yoann Huget
14 Vincent Clerc
13 Mathieu Bastareaud
12 Wesley Fofana
11 Benjamin Fall
10 Francois Trinh-Duc
9 Morgan Parra
1 Thomas Domingo
2 Benjamin Kayser
3 Nicolas Mas
4 Christophe Samson
5 Yoann Maestri
6 Yannick Nyanga
7 Thierry Dusautoir
8 Louis Picamoles
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewki, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Luc Ducalcon, 19 Jocelino Suta, 20 Antonie Claassen, 21-Maxime Machenaud, 22-Frederic Michalak, 23-Florian Fritz
