- The survey found that 24 percent of young French adults did not have sex last year
France’s reputation as a nation of lovers is so famous that they even have a kiss named after them.
But research shows that the country is going through something of a dry spell: one in four adults has not had any sexual encounters in the past year.
One study found a noticeable decrease in sex, especially among young adults who turn to television or video games instead of intimacy with their partners.
The survey of 1,911 respondents found that 24 percent of French adults aged 18 to 69 had not had sex in the past 12 months, compared to just 9 percent in 2006.
The number of 18 to 24-year-old virgins rose from 5 percent in 2006 to 28 percent. Observers suggested that the research reflects the fact that women in particular feel less obliged to have sex with partners purely out of marital obligation, as happened more often in previous generations.
The survey of 1,911 respondents found that 24 percent of French adults aged 18 to 69 had not had sex in the past 12 months, compared to just 9 percent in 2006 (Stock Image)
Despite the French capital being known as the city of love, a study revealed a noticeable decline in sex (Stock Image)
Francois Kraus, of pollster IFOP, found a decrease in social pressure to maintain an active sex life, with 12 percent of respondents identifying as asexual and lacking desire.
Just over half of French women admitted to having sex without genuine desire, a significant drop from 76 percent in a similar 1981 survey.
Kraus attributed this change to women’s greater financial autonomy, which allows them to assert their right to refuse sexual encounters in which they are not interested.