June 2025
This new study continues the series of surveys conducted by Discurv on the French and their sexuality.
65% of respondents are in a relationship, with the majority (57%) living under the same roof. Among them, over half have been together for more than 15 years. In contrast, 35% are single, and a minority have never been in a relationship.
73% of people in relationships (both men and women) say they are satisfied with the frequency of their sexual activity, although 30% feel less sexually fulfilled than at the beginning of the relationship.
Moreover, 90% say they are still in love, with nearly half describing their relationship as more affectionate than passionate.
A majority (59%) would like to have sex at least twice a week, but in reality, only 45% manage to do so.
Nearly half of the respondents report having less sex than before (45%), and 18% say they no longer have any sexual activity. When describing their sex life, 45% call it "average," 26% say it’s "routine," and only 6% describe it as "wild."
56% of respondents say they talk about their desires with their partner, and two-thirds believe they make an effort to maintain desire.
41% of respondents say they never get bored during sex, but 52% admit that boredom can occasionally occur. As for pornography consumption, the majority (58%) believe it has little to no impact on their sexual activity frequency.
The most commonly explored unusual locations are the bathtub or shower (72%), the car (63%), and the kitchen (58%). On the other hand, public or atypical places such as an elevator, train, or building entrance are rarely used (9% each).
The most common practices are oral sex (fellatio and cunnilingus) and masturbation, each occasionally practiced by around 60% of respondents. Conversely, more marginal experiences like using sex toys, anal penetration, or group sex remain infrequent and mostly never tried.
The most widespread sexual activities include watching pornographic websites (34% at least occasionally) and, to a lesser extent, visiting sex shops (39%). However, most respondents have never searched for partners online (75%) or visited swingers’ clubs (85%).
Sexy lingerie is by far the most used accessory, with 58% of respondents saying they’ve used it (often or occasionally), and even more frequently among women (27% "often"). In contrast, other accessories such as handcuffs, whips, and blindfolds remain marginal: over 70% of women say they’ve never used them, rising to 83% for riding crops and 79% for aphrodisiacs.
Two-thirds of French people are in a relationship, with the majority living together, often for over 15 years. While 90% say they are still in love, one-third admit to being less sexually fulfilled than at the beginning of the relationship.
Although 59% of respondents would like to have sex at least twice a week, only 45% actually do, and 18% report no sexual activity in the past three months. Over 70% describe their sex life as “average” or “routine,” and only 6% as “wild.”
A lack of communication remains a significant barrier: only 56% of people in relationships say they openly talk about their sexual desires. Boredom during sex is not rare, with 52% of respondents saying it happens to them occasionally.
The most common practices are masturbation, oral sex (fellatio and cunnilingus), each practiced by about six out of ten people, while more marginal experiences (sex toys, anal sex, group sex) remain infrequent. The most popular places for sex are the shower or bathtub (72%), the car (63%), and the kitchen (58%), while public places such as elevators or trains remain largely unexplored.
As for accessories, only sexy lingerie is widely used—especially by women—while more transgressive items like handcuffs, whips, or aphrodisiacs are largely ignored. Finally, most French people have never attended a swingers' club or searched for a partner online, and only about a third regularly visit pornographic websites.
A study led by:
Audrey Mandefield, Senior Account Manager
Pauline Poché, Head of Insights Team
TO CITE THIS STUDY, PLEASE USE AT LEAST THE FOLLOWING FORMULATION:
"Discurv study for XloveCam conducted via a self-administered online questionnaire in June 2025, with a sample of 1,350 individuals representative of the French population aged 18 and over."