PARIS, Oct 29 (Reuters) - France’s preliminary third quarter gross domestic product (GDP) rose 3% to beat market forecasts, according to the national statistics office, as a pick-up in consumer spending and exports boosted the euro zone’s second-biggest economy. The third-quarter growth of 3% was above the 2.1% forecast in a Reuters poll of 24 analysts. The INSEE national statistics agency added that the third-quarter growth meant France’s economy was close to getting back to the level where it was before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. INSEE has forecast that the French economy would grow 6.25% for 2021. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Sam Holmes)