Do the French make love less?

Yes. Moreover, observers note a historic decline in sexual activity. And the latest survey conducted by Ifop (as part of the LELO observatory of French sexuality)* drives home the point: the proportion of French people who have had sex in the last 12 months has never been so low in 50 years. In 2023 ‘alone’ 76% of French people have had sexual intercourse.

Another element to take into account: the frequency of reports is less sustained. In 15 years, the number of French people having sex per week has increased from 58% (in 2009) to 43% (in 2023).

Young people are particularly concerned: 28% of sexually initiated young people aged 18 to 24 have not had sexual intercourse in 2023 (compared to 6% of the same group in 2006)

Why do we make love less?

If we haven’t slipped into everyone’s bed, observers and society provide some possible explanations for this rise in sexual inactivity:

The time spent in front of screens is singled out! Among those under 35 living as a couple, the generations most attached to screens, 50% of men and 42% of women admit to having already avoided sexual intercourse to watch a series/movies on television! In this same age group, 53% of men have already avoided sexual intercourse to play video games… and 48% of them sometimes prefer to have fun on social networks rather than indulge in carnal pleasures! The evolution of the notion of consent must also be called into question: French women accept much less force yourself to make love ! In 1988, 76% of French women aged 18 to 49 declared that they sometimes made love without wanting to, today there are 52%. Asexuality – absence of sexual attraction towards others – until now little known or considered ‘abnormal’, is now claimed by 23% of French people.

Ifop study for LELO carried out by self-administered online questionnaire from December 29, 2023 to January 2, 2024 with a sample of 1,911 people, representative of the French population aged 18 and over.

Do the French make love less?