[Étude nationale] The impact of the second wave of COVID on French singles
Purpose of the study : With the government obligation to carry out a curfew from 6 p.m.without the possibility of physical encounters, what are the consequences on the behaviour of the singles French ?
Figures of the single population in France
First of all, and as a reminder, here are some figures on the importance of celibacy in France:
- In France, there 10 million people who live alone (figures Compass), the vast majority of whom are single people.
- 27% of single French people are registered on a dating site / application (digits of the French Statistical Society)
- In France, about 25% of couples, formed in 2019, met via a dating site (extrapolation of the figures of Statesman for the United States).
The results of the study 🇫🇷
Since the speech by the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, on October 28, 2020, and the announcement of the second curfew, this has resulted in developments following behaviors:
- Average drop of 40% in the audience of dating sites in France
- Nevertheless, the second containment had a lower impact on the first, which had known a 60% drop (versus pre-COVID period).
The category of the oldest impacted is still the Seniors (over 60) with a drop of 50% of their visits to dedicated dating sites.
To note that summer 2020, who has preceded this second confinement, had been particularly carrier for dating sites, with a 20% growth compared to 2019.
Results by type of dating sites
For a finer analysis, it isn results from the evolutions following by categories of dating sites:
Categories | Before March 16
Base 100 index |
17/03 au 31/03
Premier confinement |
1/04 au 11/5 | 12/5 au 29/10 |
30/10 au 31/03/2021
Second containment |
General dating sites | 100 | 55 | 110 | 120 | 80 |
Example : Meetic, AdopteUnMec, EliteRencontre | |||||
Location-based dating apps | 100 | 35 | 90 | 110 | 65 |
Example : Tinder, Happn, Once | |||||
Senior dating sites | 100 | 25 | 70 | 95 | 45 |
Example : SayTomorrow, NosBellesAnnées | |||||
Libertines dating sites | 100 | 80 | 85 | 110 | 85 |
Example : Wyylde, Jacquie et Michel Contact | |||||
Sites for organizing singles outings | 100 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 35 |
Example : OnaVaSortir.fr, SortirBouger.com |
Some interpretations of the results
By consulting these figures, it is possible to draw the following interpretations:
- Faced with the uncertain duration of the second confinement, 40% singles already registered have signed up temporarily withdrawn dating sites
- The seniorsbeing considered as a population at risk, have decided to put themselves more in withdrawal (50% of registrants) than the other age groups.
- Nevertheless, this second confinement being less restrictive (and sometimes less respected), this unsubscribe waveoption is less strong (-20%).
- Some of the singles must tell themselves that the life must go onand that you have to move forward in your personal life.
- Finally, dating sites (and applications) have experienced a record attendance during the summer of 2020 (compared to 2019), logical rebound effect.
Single Behavior Infographic
Source of data : Data collected by stat-rencontres.fr through the monthly audience of 118 dating sites in France 🇫🇷.
Press release : link to press release at format pdf
If you have any questions, you can ask them in the comments.

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