France recalled its ambassador to Italy for talks on Thursday, saying the situation was "unprecedented" since the end of World War Two.
It comes after Italian Deputy PM Luigi Di Maio met French "yellow-vest" protesters near Paris on Tuesday.
France warned him not to interfere in the country's politics.
Relations between the two countries - both founding members of the EU - have been tense since Italy's populist Five Star Movement and right-wing League party formed a coalition government in June 2018.
