35% of young people aged 25 to 39 feel alone according to a survey by the Fondation de France

This is a new French paradox: a very connected but also very isolated society? On the eve of World Solitude Day, this Thursday, the latest study from the Fondation de France published yesterday draws up an alarming observation: loneliness continues to gain ground in France. Carried out in collaboration with Crédoc and a research team (Cerlis and Audencia), this 14^e edition reveals that 12% of French people live in a situation of relational isolation, an increase of one point compared to 2023.

Loneliness particularly hits the most vulnerable

Even more worrying, this phenomenon particularly hits the most vulnerable. People with low incomes are almost two and a half times more affected (17%) than those with high incomes (7%). Homemakers and workers also have isolation rates higher than the national average.

The feeling of loneliness, distinct from objective isolation, affects nearly one in four French people. The figures are particularly worrying among the unemployed, 44% of whom declare themselves alone, almost double the number of the employed active population. Self-employed workers are not spared: almost a third of them express a regular feeling of loneliness, revealing the challenges of working alone.

40-59 years, a pivotal period

The study also highlights “lonely times”. The 40-59 age group appears to be particularly vulnerable, with 15% of people isolated. This pivotal period, marked by the departure of children or professional ruptures, constitutes fertile ground for isolation. More surprisingly, young working people aged 25-39 are particularly affected by the feeling of loneliness: 35% of them suffer from it, more than double those in their sixties.

Seasonality also plays a major role: nearly 40% of French people feel alone in winter, compared to 29% in summer. Holiday and holiday periods exacerbate this feeling, particularly among the most precarious. Weekends prove particularly difficult for single-parent families, 53% of whom feel increased loneliness.

Faced with these figures, the study highlights a worrying reality: more than eight out of ten people suffering from loneliness really suffer from it, with a notable increase of six points in one year. The feeling of abandonment or uselessness affects a third of respondents, mainly among the most precarious categories, drawing the contours of a social divide which continues to deepen.