Only 35% of French people are cycling at least once a month, according to a survey

Who is cycling in France? It is to this question that the annual national survey on the use of cycling carried out by the CSA Institute has been answered for two years now on behalf of the Ministry of Regional Planning (General Directorate of Infrastructures, Transport and Mobility and Delegation for Road Security)*.

The 2024 results were published on Tuesday, while the “May by bicycle” event takes place everywhere in France, intended “To promote the use of cycling and to raise awareness of cohabitation in public space”Between cars, cycles and pedestrians, TF1info indicates its president, Maria Jebli-Chedville.

According to this survey, the use of the bicycle remains relatively low, and slightly decrease France compared to 2023: only 35% of French people are cycling at least once a month, compared to 59% in Germany.

In detail, 24% of French people are regular cyclists (10% every day or almost; 14% one or more times a week), 30% move occasionally using this mode of transport and 46% of them do not bike. A practice slightly decreased: in 2023, 25% of French people were regular cyclists, 32% occasional and 43% did not bike.

In 2024, among regular cyclists, there are more men (29%) than women (20%). On the other hand, the proportion is identical for occasional cyclists (30% in men and women).

36% of regular cyclists are between 11 and 34 years old

The practice also seduces young people more: 36% of regular cyclists are between 11 and 34 years old, compared to only 13% of the 65-85 year olds. And rather the CSP+: thus, 42% are business leaders and only 25% of workers. Among the non-active, it is mainly college students, high school students and students who cycle regularly (34%), and little retirees (13%).

Among the regions where cycling is most practiced, Burgundy-Franche-Comté comes first, with 27%of regular cyclists, ahead of the Grand Est (27%) then the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region (26%). However, if we add regular and occasional cyclists, it is in Ile-de-France that there are the most followers (65%). It is the region which has the most occasional cyclists (40%).

Retraux made rather during the week

The survey also shows that there are more regular cyclists in Paris (39%) and in the city centers of metropolises of more than 500,000 inhabitants, but also large cities of more than 100,000 inhabitants. Conversely, there are only 19% of regular cyclists in rural areas.

Among the regular cyclists, most of them make journeys from Monday to Friday, rather than Saturday-dimanche: thus, 2.8 trips on average on weekdays, and 1.4 trips on weekends, stable figures compared to 2023. This translates into number of kilometers: 14.1 km on average on the week, 9.6 km on weekends.

Again, the youngest do more journeys: 4.5 trips on average per week for 11-17 year olds, compared to 3.8 trips for 35-49 year olds.

Useful bicycle for young people, leisure for older

On the other hand, among regular cyclists, the oldest do almost as many journeys as young people (4.1 trips on average per week) and above all, they drive longer: 32.9 km on average for 65-85 year olds against 17.6 km on average only for 11-17 year olds. This is explained by the grounds of practice: among young people, and in particular very young people, the bicycle is used to go to school, a relatively short journey, when the oldest regular cyclists practice cycling during leisure outings.

Among the regular cyclists, and without distinction of age, 29% of them travel from 0 to 3 km only; And 4% are 101 km and more.

Why do bicycle enthusiasts use their cycles?

• 55% cycle to play sports or during a walk

• 28% to go shopping

• 23% to get to an activity (medical, sport, cinema, etc.)

• 17% for home-work trips

• 8% to go to school, college, high school and university

• 7% as part of their professional trips (delivery people, factors, bicycle taxi)

0.46 bike per person in France against 1.3 bikes in the Netherlands

The practice also seems to depend on the weather since only 32% of cyclists are cycling all year round. During the summer, 92% take their bicycle against only 34% during the winter.

And on the equipment side? In total, 44% of French households have at least one bike, including 8.8% an electric bike. France has 1.28 bikes per household on average, or 0.46 bikes per person. It is relatively low if we compare this figure to that of the Netherlands, where cycling is very widespread, with 1.3 bikes on average per person.

36% of cyclists do not wear a helmet

In total, 36% of cyclists say they do not wear a helmet (compared to 33% which systematically carry it). This protection is less used in rural areas and in small and medium -sized cities (40% of cyclists do not have or do not use it against only 28% in large cities). 84% of bicycle followers say they respect “Always or almost” Signaling fires (66% always, 18% almost always, 3% almost never).

Other risky pipes are the use of the mobile phone for 7% of cyclists, and a headphones or earrings for 16% of them. In addition, 59% of cyclists never wear a safety vest. They are 24% to use it “Always or often” during the day; A figure that goes to 35% of cyclists at night.

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“The MAI bike event must also make it possible to educate these security issues “specifies its president. “last year, the challenge launched on this occasion made it possible to travel 9 million km in France.“

A report made public last week, and which was commissioned by the government after the death of Paul Varry on October 15 in Paris, made several recommendations to improve cohabitation on the road.

Among these proposals: the development of cycle infrastructure, an evolution of the examination of the highway code and the driving license to integrate this notion of “cohabitation”but also the generalization of “Increased videoverbization” Assisted by artificial intelligence to systematically verbalize “Disable behaviors for soft mobility”.