Xlovecam – The French and Infidelity
May 2026
This new study follows a series of surveys conducted by Discurv on the French population and sexuality, as well as on the sexiest celebrities in France and across Europe.
Among people currently in a relationship or a steady partnership
In their current relationship, three out of four respondents say they feel affection for their partner, while slightly more than half also report feeling desire. Desire appears more fragile and tends to fade over time, with couples together for more than ten years and older adults reporting lower levels of desire within their relationship.
Unlike residents of Auvergne, people living in South-West France report experiencing more desire within their relationship.
Among respondents, one-third say they feel as much desire as affection for their partner, while half primarily feel affection rather than desire. Although desire appears weaker, it seems to be relatively balanced within couples, as 42% report an equivalent level of desire between themselves and their partner. Men appear more likely than women to report experiencing a higher level of desire than their partner.
The image is an infographic divided into three main sections on a light grey background, presenting the results of a survey conducted among 664 individuals who are either in a relationship or a regular partnership. The charts primarily use two colours: blue-purple to represent desire and gold to represent affection.
On the left side of the image, a horizontal bar chart illustrates the feelings currently present in respondents’ relationships.
The first and largest horizontal bar, coloured blue-purple, represents affection. It reaches 73%, meaning that nearly three out of four respondents report feeling affection within their relationship.
Below it, a second horizontal bar, also blue-purple but slightly shorter, represents desire. It reaches 55%, indicating that just over half of respondents experience desire in their current relationship.
Several notable findings are highlighted alongside this bar:
Finally, a very small grey bar represents people who report feeling neither affection nor desire in their relationship. This group accounts for only 6% of respondents.
In the upper-right section of the image, a double-arrow chart illustrates the balance between affection and desire felt toward one’s partner.
The arrow extends toward the left in blue-purple and toward the right in gold.
Three situations emerge:
Visually, the gold section dominates, illustrating that affection is more often cited as the primary feeling within the relationship than desire.
In the lower-right section, a second double-arrow chart examines perceptions regarding which partner experiences more desire.
Three situations are represented:
The chart therefore shows that a relative majority either perceive desire as balanced or believe that their partner experiences more desire.
Despite lower levels of desire, a large majority of respondents consider their current partner to be the most attractive person they have ever been with, the best sexual partner they have had, and the person with whom they have experienced the most adventurous sexual experiences compared with previous relationships. Overall, the current relationship is perceived as superior to past relationships.
Young adults aged 18 to 34 are particularly likely to consider their current partner as the “best sexual partner” they have ever had.
The image presents three statements regarding respondents’ current partner. For each statement, a stacked horizontal bar illustrates the level of agreement, ranging from “Strongly agree” to “Strongly disagree,” along with a “Not concerned” category. Positive responses are shown in blue-purple, while negative responses appear in shades of beige and gold. To the right of each bar is the total agreement score, corresponding to the combined percentage of “Strongly agree” and “Somewhat agree” responses.
The first statement is:
“...the most attractive partner you have ever had.”
Results reveal a highly positive perception of the current partner:
Overall, 77% of respondents consider their current partner to be the most attractive person they have ever been involved with.
Even higher levels are observed in certain regions:
Visually, the bar is largely dominated by positive responses, reflecting a strong appreciation of the current partner’s physical attractiveness.
The second statement is:
“...the best sexual partner you have ever had.”
Responses remain overwhelmingly positive:
The total agreement score reaches 72%.
In other words, nearly three out of four respondents believe that their current partner is the best sexual partner they have ever had.
This figure rises to 80% among 18–34-year-olds, suggesting that younger respondents are even more likely to view their current partner as their best sexual experience.
The third statement is:
“...the partner with whom you have done the wildest things in bed.”
Results are as follows:
The total agreement score reaches 70%.
Thus, seven out of ten respondents consider their current partner to be the person with whom they have experienced the most adventurous or memorable sexual experiences.
In Hauts-de-France, this figure reaches 82%, significantly above the national average.
The infographic highlights a strong appreciation of the current partner. A large majority of respondents believe that the person they are currently with occupies a special place compared with all previous partners:
Positive responses clearly dominate across all three indicators, suggesting that respondents tend to view their current relationship as superior to their previous romantic and sexual experiences.
However, half of French respondents admit having fantasised about someone more attractive than their partner and believe that their partner is not necessarily the person with whom they could fulfil their deepest fantasies. Men are more likely than women to share this view.
Four in ten French people look back nostalgically on their sex life before their current partner, and a similar proportion admit having thought about someone else during sex with their partner in order to reach orgasm more easily. Young adults aged 18 to 34 appear particularly likely to engage in these behaviours, which can be viewed as bordering on infidelity.
This infographic presents several behaviors that may be perceived as forms of micro-cheating or as attitudes that come close to infidelity. For each situation, respondents indicate whether they have engaged in it often, sometimes, rarely, or never. The right-hand column groups together those who have done it at least once.
The most common behavior involves fantasizing about someone considered significantly more attractive than one’s current partner.
Responses break down as follows:
Overall, 55% of respondents admit having done so at least once.
This proportion rises to 62% among men, a significantly higher level than the overall average.
The second situation involves believing that one’s current partner is not the person with whom they could fulfill their most intimate fantasies.
The results are as follows:
Overall, 49% of respondents have had this thought at least once.
The groups most concerned are:
The infographic also measures how often people nostalgically recall their previous sex life.
The responses indicate that:
Overall, 43% say they have done this at least once.
This figure rises to:
Another question concerns imagining someone else during sexual intercourse in order to reach orgasm more easily.
The results show that:
As a result, 39% of respondents admit having thought about someone else during sex with their partner.
This figure reaches 50% among 18–34-year-olds.
The study also examines the impact of pornography on perceptions of one’s sex life as a couple.
Respondents were asked whether they had ever felt that their sex life was disappointing compared to what they saw in pornographic content.
The responses were:
Overall, 32% have experienced this sense of disappointment.
The figures increase to:
One of the situations that comes closest to digital infidelity involves exchanging ambiguous or sexually explicit messages with another person through social media or messaging applications.
The results show that:
Overall, 28% admit having engaged in this type of exchange.
Among 18–34-year-olds, this proportion rises to 50%, meaning one person in two.
Finally, the study explores an emerging practice: emotional or sexual interactions with artificial intelligence (ChatGPT, Replika, Character.ai, etc.).
The results are as follows:
Overall, 20% of respondents say they have already had an intimate, romantic, or sexual conversation with an AI.
This practice is particularly common among 18–34-year-olds, where it reaches 47%, nearly one young adult out of two.
The image highlights that many behaviors considered grey areas of fidelity are relatively common within relationships.
The most widespread behaviors are essentially mental or fantasy-based:
Behaviors involving actual interaction with a third party are less common but still significant:
The infographic also shows that 18–34-year-olds consistently emerge as the most concerned generation, often displaying levels well above the national average, particularly regarding ambiguous messaging (50%) and intimate conversations with AI (47%).
The newest couples are the most likely to engage in these types of behaviors, especially fantasizing about another person or thinking about someone else during sex in order to reach orgasm more easily.
Conversely, couples who have been together the longest appear less connected to new technologies, with lower proportions having exchanged sexts or had intimate conversations with an AI.
This infographic presents the same behaviors analyzed previously, but this time compares them according to the length of the relationship. The results correspond to the percentage of people who have already engaged in these behaviors (often, sometimes, or rarely).
The columns distinguish four categories of couples:
Figures shown in green indicate results significantly above average, while figures shown in pink indicate results significantly below average.
Overall, 54% of people in relationships say they have already fantasized about someone much more attractive than their partner.
According to relationship length:
The newest couples are therefore significantly more likely to admit this type of fantasy.
Nearly one respondent in two (49%) has already thought that their partner was not the ideal person with whom to fulfill their most intimate fantasies.
Results by relationship length are:
Once again, the newest couples appear to be the most concerned.
Overall, 41% of respondents say they have already looked back nostalgically on their previous sex life.
The results are:
People involved in newer relationships seem much more likely to compare their current situation with past experiences.
This behavior concerns 38% of all respondents.
According to relationship length:
The gap is particularly striking. Couples together for less than one year display levels more than twice as high as those observed among couples together for more than ten years.
Overall, 31% of respondents say they have already found their sex life disappointing when compared with what they watched in pornographic content.
Detailed results are:
Newer couples are once again heavily overrepresented.
This behavior concerns 27% of people in relationships.
The breakdown is as follows:
A gradual decline can be observed as relationships become more established over time.
This practice shows the most dramatic differences according to relationship length.
Overall, 19% of respondents say they have already engaged in this type of interaction with an AI.
The results are:
People involved in newer relationships are therefore more than five times as likely to have had an intimate or sexual conversation with an artificial intelligence than those who have been in a relationship for more than ten years.
The results reveal a very clear trend: behaviors that may be considered forms of micro-cheating are significantly more common in newer relationships than in long-term partnerships.
For each of the seven practices studied, couples together for less than one year consistently show the highest levels:
Conversely, couples together for more than ten years consistently display the lowest levels. This evolution suggests that, over time, relationships tend to stabilize and reduce behaviors associated with exploration, comparison, or the search for emotional and sexual alternatives.
One quarter of respondents say they have already been in an open relationship, including 12% who have done so several times. This practice is more common among men, younger people, and bisexual or homosexual respondents.
One French person in five has already engaged in sexual activity involving multiple partners. Once again, this practice is more common among younger generations than among older respondents, as well as among bisexual and homosexual individuals.
This infographic explores real-life experiences involving open relationships or shared sexual experiences with other partners. For each situation, respondents indicate whether they experienced it once, several times, or never.
Positive responses are grouped in the right-hand column under the indicator “Total Yes”, corresponding to the total percentage of people who have experienced the situation at least once.
The first situation examined is:
“Being in an open relationship with a partner where each of you is free to have sexual relations with someone else.”
The results show that:
Overall, 24% of respondents say they have been in an open relationship at least once in their lives.
Some groups are particularly concerned:
Conversely, rates are significantly lower among:
Visually, the chart shows that about one-quarter of respondents have experienced some form of open relationship, while three-quarters have never been involved in this type of relationship.
The second situation involves the couple participating together in sexual activities with other partners:
“Having sexual relations with your partner and other people (e.g., threesome, swinging, lifestyle party, etc.).”
The results indicate that:
The total percentage of people who have had this experience is 19%.
In other words, nearly one in five people reports having participated in a sexual experience involving both their partner and other people.
The groups most concerned are:
By contrast, the proportions are lower among:
This infographic shows that experiences of non-monogamy do exist but remain a minority practice within the population.
The results indicate that:
In both cases, these behaviors are much more common among LGBT+ individuals and young adults aged 18–34.
The most significant differences are observed among homosexual and bisexual respondents, whose rates are often two to four times higher than those found in the overall population.
Overall, the study suggests that while monogamy remains the dominant relationship model, a substantial minority of respondents have experimented, at least occasionally, with relationship structures or sexual practices that differ from the traditional exclusive couple model.
The French generally hold an optimistic view of fidelity, with three-quarters believing it is possible to remain faithful to the same person for life, a conviction that is particularly strong among younger people and residents of northwestern France. In contrast, seniors, bisexual individuals, and residents of southern France tend to be more pessimistic.
Indeed, one-third of French people have already been unfaithful, and among them, one-third report having been unfaithful during the summer period. People living in southern France and bisexual individuals appear to be the most prone to infidelity, unlike residents of Brittany and northern France. Believing in lifelong fidelity also seems to help people remain faithful to their partners.
This infographic is divided into two sections. The first measures French people's belief in the possibility of remaining faithful to the same person for life. The second explores respondents’ self-reported experiences with infidelity.
On the left side of the image, a stacked vertical bar chart presents responses to the question of whether respondents believe it is possible to remain faithful to the same partner for life.
The results show strong support for this idea:
Visually, the blue section representing positive responses occupies the vast majority of the bar, illustrating strong confidence in the possibility of long-term fidelity.
Some groups display levels above the average:
These groups appear particularly optimistic about the possibility of remaining faithful to the same partner throughout life.
Conversely, some groups are more represented among those who do not believe in lifelong fidelity:
On the right side of the image, a donut chart presents responses to a question about past infidelity.
Respondents are divided into four categories.
The first category includes people who acknowledge having cheated on a partner.
This group represents 31% of respondents.
Among the entire sample, 10% report having been unfaithful on multiple occasions.
In other words, nearly one-third of respondents admit to having committed infidelity at some point in their romantic lives.
The groups most concerned are:
By contrast, the proportions are significantly lower among:
This category represents 17% of respondents.
These individuals report never having cheated on a partner so far but believe it could happen under certain circumstances.
This is the largest category.
47% of respondents state that they have never been unfaithful and are convinced they never could be.
Nearly one person in two therefore adopts a position of strong fidelity, both in practice and intention.
Finally, 7% of respondents report never having been involved in a romantic relationship, which naturally excludes them from any experience of infidelity.
The infographic reveals an interesting contrast between beliefs and behaviors.
On the one hand, 73% of French people believe it is possible to remain faithful to the same person for life, showing that the ideal of fidelity remains widely shared.
On the other hand, 31% admit to having already been unfaithful, indicating that a significant portion of the population has at some point violated this relationship norm.
Combining the results highlights three major profiles:
These findings suggest that fidelity remains a core value in collective representations, even though actual behaviors appear more nuanced and sometimes diverge from this ideal.
If offered a discreet sexual encounter, one in five French people would be tempted, particularly those who have already been unfaithful, bisexual and homosexual individuals, and men. The most recent couples also appear to be the most vulnerable.
When faced with a partner’s infidelity, a clear majority of French people say they would want to know about it. Younger people seem less willing to turn a blind eye, with 82% saying they would want to be informed.
Overall, only one-quarter of French people would prefer not to know.
This infographic explores two complementary dimensions of fidelity. The first measures how respondents would react if they were presented with an opportunity for discreet infidelity. The second analyzes their attitude toward discovering a potential act of infidelity committed by their partner.
The left side of the image presents a stacked vertical bar answering the implicit question:
“If you were offered a discreet relationship with no apparent risk, would you be unfaithful?”
Responses are divided into five categories.
This category represents those most inclined to accept an opportunity for infidelity.
Combining these two categories gives:
The study highlights several groups that are particularly concerned:
By contrast, only:
say they would probably or definitely accept such an opportunity.
Overall:
These respondents are confident in their ability to remain faithful even when an opportunity presents itself.
Finally:
This category appears in gray at the bottom of the bar.
The right side of the image presents a pie chart illustrating respondents’ attitudes toward a potential act of infidelity committed by their partner.
The majority of respondents answer:
Nearly two-thirds therefore wish to be informed if their partner is unfaithful.
Visually, this category occupies the largest part of the chart and appears in blue-purple.
By contrast:
One person in four would rather remain unaware of a partner’s infidelity than be informed about it.
This opinion is more common among:
Finally:
This infographic reveals a certain consistency between stated values and intended behavior.
On the one hand:
On the other hand:
The results also show that people who have already experienced infidelity—whether as the person who cheated or the person who was cheated on—often display a more nuanced relationship with the concept of fidelity. They are more likely to consider a discreet affair and more likely to prefer ignoring a potential act of infidelity.
Overall, the study suggests that fidelity remains a strongly valued norm: the majority of respondents say they want to remain faithful and would rather know the truth if infidelity occurs within their relationship.
Despite their views on fidelity, half of French people would take time for themselves if they were single this summer.
One French person in six would seek multiple sexual partners to make up for lost time, particularly bisexuals, homosexuals, young adults, and men.
This infographic examines the romantic and sexual intentions of people who are single or who may meet someone during the summer. It seeks to determine whether respondents want to use this period to meet multiple partners, build a lasting relationship, or instead remain single and focus on themselves.
All responses are presented in a stacked vertical bar composed of three categories.
The largest category is represented in gold at the bottom of the column.
52% of respondents state:
“Not looking for a partner; I would take time for myself.”
More than one person in two therefore sees summer as a period focused on personal well-being rather than the pursuit of romantic or sexual relationships.
Visually, this section occupies more than half of the column, making it the dominant choice.
The second category, represented in light purple in the middle of the column, corresponds to people seeking a serious relationship.
32% of respondents state that they would like to:
“Look for one partner in order to build a stable relationship.”
Nearly one-third of respondents therefore see summer as an opportunity to establish a lasting relationship rather than multiply experiences.
The third category, located at the top of the column and represented in dark purple, concerns people who wish to take advantage of summer to have multiple sexual experiences.
17% of respondents state that they would like to:
“Have multiple sexual partners to make up for lost time.”
Although this option remains a minority choice, it still concerns nearly one person in six.
Some groups are significantly more represented among these respondents:
By contrast, only:
say they would like to have multiple sexual partners during the summer.
The infographic also highlights an overall indicator entitled:
“Total wanting one or more partner(s)”
This indicator combines people who wish either to:
The total reaches 48%.
In other words, nearly one person in two expects to have at least one partner during the summer, whether in the context of a serious relationship or multiple encounters.
This infographic shows that summer is not necessarily associated with actively seeking partners.
The results reveal three main trends:
Overall, 48% say they want at least one partner during the summer, while a slight majority (52%) favors a period of personal focus and self-care.
The study also highlights significant differences between groups: men, young adults, and homosexual and bisexual individuals are more likely to consider multiple encounters, while women appear much more reserved about this prospect.
Over the past 40 years, the French relationship with fidelity has evolved. While 80% of French people believed in 1983 that it was possible to remain faithful to one person for life, only 73% believe so in 2026. Another major change can be observed in attitudes toward infidelity. French people increasingly prefer transparency, with a majority now wishing to know if their partner has been unfaithful.
Finally, infidelity appears to have become more widespread, as nearly three times as many French people admit having already been unfaithful. Fewer people also express certainty that it could never happen to them.
This infographic compares the results of a survey conducted in 1983 with those observed in 2026, in order to measure how French attitudes toward fidelity and infidelity have evolved over the past forty years.
The 1983 data are shown in gold, while the 2026 data appear in blue-purple.
The analysis focuses on three dimensions:
The first section compares responses to the question:
“Do you believe it is possible to remain faithful to the same person throughout your life?”
In 1983:
In 2026:
This represents a decline of 7 percentage points.
Although the majority of French people still believe in lifelong fidelity, this conviction is now slightly less widespread than it was in the early 1980s.
In 1983:
In 2026:
This represents an increase of 4 percentage points.
Skepticism toward lifelong fidelity has therefore increased modestly.
In 1983:
In 2026:
This represents an increase of 3 percentage points.
The second section compares responses to the question:
“If your spouse or partner were unfaithful, would you prefer to know or not know?”
In 1983:
In 2026:
This represents a dramatic increase of 18 percentage points.
This change is one of the most striking findings of the study. French people today appear far more attached to transparency within relationships than they were forty years ago.
In 1983:
In 2026:
This represents a decrease of 16 percentage points.
This decline suggests that the mindset of “what I don’t know can’t hurt me” is far less common today.
In 1983:
In 2026:
This represents a slight decrease of 2 percentage points.
The third section presents changes in responses to the question:
“Have you ever been unfaithful yourself?”
Data are available for three years: 1983, 1999, and 2026.
The proportion of people admitting to having cheated on a partner has risen sharply over time.
Between 1983 and 2026, this proportion increased by 22 percentage points.
In other words, the share of French people who report having been unfaithful is now more than three times higher than it was in the early 1980s.
This category has declined slightly.
French people therefore appear less likely to consider this possibility in theory without having acted on it.
This category was historically the majority.
The decline reaches 18 percentage points between 1983 and 2026.
Today, only one person in two says they have never been unfaithful and are certain they never could be.
The changes observed between 1983 and 2026 reveal a profound transformation in French attitudes toward fidelity.
On the one hand, fidelity remains a widely shared value:
On the other hand, behaviors and perceptions have become noticeably more flexible:
The study therefore highlights a modern paradox: French people continue to value fidelity as a relationship ideal, but they now seem more realistic, more transparent, and more aware of the complexity of romantic behavior than previous generations.
French relationships today are built on a defining paradox: strong emotional attachment coexists with a more fragile form of desire that varies significantly across demographic groups. While nearly three-quarters of French people in relationships report feeling affection for their partner, only half still report experiencing desire, and one in two admits feeling more affection than desire. This imbalance is particularly pronounced among older adults and long-term couples, where desire clearly fades over time (50% among couples together for more than 10 years and 45% among those aged 65 and over). By contrast, desire remains higher among people under 50, in newer relationships, and in certain regions such as Southwestern France. Men, meanwhile, are more likely than women to report feeling more desire than their partner, highlighting a perceptual asymmetry within relationships.
However, this decline in desire does not appear to diminish the value placed on the current partner, who is still widely perceived as superior to previous partners. More than 7 in 10 French respondents consider their current partner to be the most attractive, the best sexual partner, or the person with whom they have shared their most memorable sexual experiences. This perception is even stronger among young adults aged 18–34, who tend to hold a more idealized view of their current relationship. As a result, the couple remains a source of emotional stability, particularly among younger generations, despite fluctuating levels of desire.
Within this context, temptation and behaviors that border on infidelity have become increasingly widespread, revealing a more flexible attitude toward exclusivity. More than one French person in two has already fantasized about someone more attractive than their partner, and nearly half doubt that their partner can fulfill all of their desires. These behaviors are strongly influenced by demographic profiles: they are more common among men, but especially among young adults and those in newer relationships, who display multiple signs of relational fragility (up to 73% report thinking about someone else during sex in relationships of less than one year). By contrast, established couples appear less exposed, particularly regarding digital practices such as sexting or intimate interactions with AI, highlighting a significant generational divide in contemporary forms of “micro-infidelity.”
These findings are part of a broader transformation of relationship models, characterized by growing openness toward non-exclusive arrangements. One-quarter of French respondents report having experienced an open relationship, a practice particularly common among men, younger adults, and bisexual or homosexual individuals. Likewise, sexual experiences involving multiple partners have been experienced by nearly one in five French people, again more frequently among younger generations and sexual minorities. These results point to a strong segmentation of behaviors, with younger and LGBTQ+ populations leading the way in relational exploration, while older and heterosexual individuals remain more traditional.
Infidelity itself is fully embedded within this ambivalent landscape. While nearly three-quarters of French people still believe it is possible to remain faithful to the same person for life—a belief especially strong among younger generations and in certain western regions—one-third nevertheless admit to having been unfaithful. This figure is three times higher than in 1999. Rates are higher among bisexual individuals and residents of Southern France, while lower levels are observed in regions such as Brittany and Northern France. Beliefs also matter: those who believe lifelong fidelity is possible are significantly less likely to have cheated on a partner.
When faced with temptation, declared intentions confirm these differences. Nearly one French person in five acknowledges that they could give in to a discreet opportunity for infidelity. This proportion rises considerably among men, younger adults, people who have already been unfaithful, and bisexual or homosexual respondents (around 44%). Newer relationships also appear more vulnerable, with rates reaching 45% among couples together for less than a year, further confirming their relative instability. At the same time, expectations are shifting toward greater transparency: nearly two-thirds of French people would prefer to be informed if their partner were unfaithful, a trend that is even stronger among young adults (82%), reflecting a more direct and less tolerant attitude toward deception.
Finally, the summer season acts as a catalyst for these dynamics. While a majority of French people would choose to focus on themselves if they were single (more than 50%), a significant minority—around one in six—would consider having multiple sexual partners, particularly men, younger adults, and bisexual or homosexual individuals. Summer therefore appears to be a period during which traditional relationship norms become more relaxed, amplifying behaviors that already exist throughout the rest of the year.
Ultimately, the French couple is being redefined through a complex and highly segmented equation: a combination of lasting emotional attachment, uneven levels of desire across demographic groups, and a growing aspiration toward personal exploration. Behind a still largely idealized norm of fidelity, practices and perceptions vary considerably according to age, gender, sexual orientation, and relationship duration, creating a diverse and rapidly evolving relational landscape.
Study conducted by:
Manon Sendrier, Insight Executive
Pauline Poché, Insight Director
TO CITE THIS STUDY, PLEASE USE AT LEAST THE FOLLOWING WORDING:
“Discurv study for XloveCam conducted in October 2025 using a self-administered online questionnaire among a representative sample of 1,000 Italian residents aged 18 and over.”