According to a Yougov study by the European Observatory of Infidelity (OEL) affiliated with the extra-marital dating site Gleeden, 38% of French women admit to having already been unfaithful. This is a fourfold increase in the phenomenon since the 1970s. They almost catch up with men, at 46% in 2022. This figure has fallen slightly since 2016, when it had reached a rate of 49% at that time.

On the other hand, according to the results, the French are not the most adulterous. Like the Belgians and the Italians, 78% of our compatriots surveyed believe that it is possible not to cheat on your partner during your life. On the other hand, this means that 22% believe the opposite. This non-adultery statistic is rather low, compared to Germany (82%), Spain (84%) and the UK (87%).

Half of the Europeans questioned nevertheless recognize that it is possible to love your partner while being unfaithful to him. This is particularly the case in Belgium and the United Kingdom, with 62% of positive responses, compared to 54% in France.

So what are the real reasons for this practice? The slideshow below presents the reasons that lead to adultery in France. Based on 486 respondents who have ever been unfaithful.

Overall, the phenomenon is more or less widespread depending on the country: