President François Hollande of France has called for an end to the United States trade embargo against Cuba, where he met with Fidel Castro in the first visit by a Western head of state to Havana since the United States announced plans in December to re-establish diplomatic relations with the country.

“I had before me a man who made history,” Mr. Hollande was quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying, referring to Mr. Castro, who wore an Adidas tracksuit over a checked shirt during the surprise 50-minute meeting at Mr. Castro’s home in Havana on Monday.

Mr. Hollande, making the first official visit by a French president to Cuba, said that Mr. Castro, 88, who led the Cuban revolution and ruled the country for almost half a century, had a “a lot to say,” and demonstrated intellectual acuity and alertness, according to reports in the French news media.

Mr. Castro, who rarely appears in public and has retreated from the global stage, complained to Mr. Hollande about pain in his knee and shoulder, news reports said.