French term (edited): vis � frapper

<<drive screw, screw nail - A fixing like a nail, but with a square shank 2mm or more thick, twisted several times in its length. It can be driven by happer into wood or masonry, but is very difficult to withdraw>>
[Scott/Penguin Dict. of Building]

Dicobat calls them not "vis à frapper" but "clou torsadé - utilisé en maçonnerie et en charpente" et "clou torsadé à calotte ou tête-cloche - pour fixation de plaques et tôles ondulées à l'extérieur".

Then there's one which is twisted along only part of its length: '"clou dit fausse-vis ou vis-étoile, pour emplois dans le bois: peut être ensuite extrait au tournevis" (since it has a slotted head).

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Note added at 13 hrs 37 mins (2004-11-25 02:53:56 GMT)
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The McGHill \"Dict. of Architecture & Construction\" gives the same terms and says basically the same thing, adding \"some types may be removed with a screwdriver\".