Sensuality, gallantry, romanticism, natural instinct for seduction... the reputation of the French abroad has always been deeply marked by stereotypes. But what does that mean, statistically speaking? On average, most French lovers
at parties, at the place where they study, or at work. Half of French men have
, compared to 30 percent of women. Furthermore, 33 percent of people surveyed reported having had
Sexual identity and online practices
As much as the French like the typical model of a nuclear family, with 89 percent of the population reported as
heterosexual, the norm seems to be less prevalent than 60 years ago. About 12 percent of young women and eight percent of young men stated that they had already been in a
homosexual relationship and enjoyed it, and 30 percent of young women never had, but are open to it. Some 86 percent of French citizens think homosexuality is a way of life that should be
accepted by society.
While 34 percent of people had developed a
romantic and sexual relationship with someone they had met online, 24 percent had an exclusively sexual relationship. Technology has made it possible to transfer experiences into the virtual world. In times of
lockdowns and restrictions due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, such platforms seem to be a popular tool for dealing with sexual frustration. However, French people are still cautious, as about 50 percent feared that their private and
online sexual experiences might be leaked.
Sexual practices among men and women
Conventional practices have evolved in France. From 1992 to 2020, the number of women having already used a
sexual accessory rose from seven to 52 percent. Additionally, masturbation is less of a taboo subject for young women. More than 75 percent said that they had
already practiced it, compared to 80 percent of men aged 18 to 34 who had done it and enjoyed it. For men, more than three quarters
desire sex of longer duration. Some
48 percent of young women admit to having
lied to their partner about reaching an orgasm, compared to 42 percent of
men of all ages. But the happiness with the choice of partner who seems to care is
equally distributed among different relationship constellations.
Safe sex
Eventually, sexual safety is a topic most French people seem to be well aware of and consider important. The majority of women
know about the pill and other products on the contraceptive market, while 59 percent reported
using a contraceptive method in 2019. With the condom being the most effective against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and an agent against pregnancies, when young people were asked
why they would choose not to use a condom, most of them replied that they trust their partner, or that they have both been tested for HIV.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
