In your opinion, what percentage of couples today meet online? A quarter? A third? Lost: 50%! Discovering this figure made my blood boil. Not only did I remember having “matched” with the one who would become my Star before the advent of the Internet… but it happened in a church (it was not the priest, I assure you, but the godfather of the baby of whom I was the godmother). I concluded that, in my case, an update of the love parade of 2024 was urgent. Head to the presentation of the “Dating Lab” of the Meetic Europe group, which aims to be the first “observatory of romantic encounters” run by various experts (sociologists, psychologists, neurobiologists, philosophers, etc.).
All roads lead to romance
They were said to be losing momentum, but in reality, dating sites have never worked so well. Like the Meetic group brands (Meetic, Tinder, Even [pour les parents célibataires] and Let's say tomorrow [pour les plus de 50 ans]among others), their competitors Adopte, Bumble, Elite encounter, Attractive world, the Perfect Gentleman, Parship, OkCupid or Once (impossible to list them all, we wouldn't count them far from… 2000 in France!) have seen their attendance has taken off since mid-2020.
“Our surveys tell us that more men than women seek romantic encounters”
The reason? The Covid, of course, which has done even more damage among singles than among locked-up couples with children out of school… (And God knows!) Mathieu, 32, remembers: “Before the first confinement, I was happy to enjoy my freedom, but the solitude was like a long tunnel where I had plenty of time to think about what I wanted for the future. As soon as we were released at the end of spring, I signed up for two more “serious” apps than Tinder, of which I was a customer before. At the end of August, I met Armelle. We are expecting a baby next spring.” The anecdote makes Matthieu Jacquier, CEO of Meetic Europe, smile. “Our surveys tell us that more men (35%) than women (16%) actively seek romantic encounters and 42% of singles want a lasting relationship, with more categorical expectations than before. In 2024, it’s marriage (22%) or, on the contrary, nothing serious (15%)… in any case, it’s clear and clear!”
Everyone is looking for their app
In recent times, however, dating apps have faced competition from traditional social networks. Flirting on Instagram has existed for a long time thanks to PMs (private messages) but, now, even LinkedIn, a site dedicated to professional networking, seems to have become a playground for singles, often young people, in fact. Looking for a work-study job this summer, Nadia, 23, was surprised to receive dating proposals from boys barely older than her: “I have a friend who found her boyfriend on this platform , but for me, it made me uncomfortable because I don't know what these people, who wrote to me in PM, to meet me really want… And already, are they single? LinkedIn doesn’t say it!” Like her, 77% of French people looking for love would rely on dedicated applications. But it’s best not to put all your eggs in one basket. On average, we sign up for three dating sites simultaneously, says art and gender studies expert Kevin Bideaux, “from the most general (like Meetic or Elite dating) to the most specialized, like Grinder, previously reserved for homosexuals, but frequented by more and more “without labels””. This specialist in gender representations is amused to note that in terms of dating as elsewhere, the contours are now more blurred and people less inclined to appear under a single banner.
“Hey Siri, find me a sex date”
Another new feature is the emergence of AI on all these apps. A phenomenon that makes 59% of people over 50 cringe (including your servant, surprising, right?) but only worries 23% of 18-24 year olds, and for good reason: 78% of people who do tested it and liked it. At Meetic, we are clear: it is not a question of seducing you on your behalf but of making your task easier. Algorithms can – almost – do everything: flush out fake accounts, identify those who are most compatible with you, offer you, on the contrary, people to whom you would not have gone spontaneously or even choose your profile photo… The did you know? Sunglasses, a black-and-white portrait, and posing shirtless in front of a big motorcycle are the surest ways to get swiped left (in other words, eliminated).
Itinerary of an ordinary love
7 to 10 days average time between the “match” and the first real meeting.
12 days first kiss.
3 weeks first time making love.
1 month mutual decision to unplug dating apps.
5 months first time saying “I love you”.
7 months presentation to parents.
9 months sharing keys.
2 years living together.
3 years old first baby.
5 years of marriage.
7 years beginning of mutual exasperation (personal statistic of Dr. Aga).
Source: data collected by Meetic from its customers.
The choice of dates
After the “match”, comes the moment of the meeting. While restaurants and bars are still popular, outdoor experiences gain points: +13% for “outdoor” activities (sporting or cultural) and +9% for picnics. We thought speed dating was outdated because it was too superficial? In fact, the meeting directly.
In England, there are even… slow dating events!
IRL (in real life) returns, but in other, less formal forms, without a timer that squeaks every 6 minutes. In England, there are even… slow dating events! Shy singles prefer to meet in a group setting, and apps are increasingly making a living by offering activities like karaoke, cooking classes, pottery and more. Eight months ago, Marion, 42, fell for François, 54, at a tango lesson organized by a dating site: “I have no tropism for bald people so I certainly wouldn't have chosen him on the app, but when I saw how he moved…” she smiled. Marie-Victoire Chopin, Dr. in psychology and couples therapist, knows this better than anyone: “Not only do physical criteria quickly disappear upon meeting, but all beautiful things begin with lightness! »
Generation no-no?
Let's talk about lightness in relationships between men and women: where are we, seven years after #MeToo? The French seem a little destabilized: 18% of them say they are overwhelmed by new ways of seducing and 15% find it difficult, in 2024, to meet someone who meets their expectations, but we are far from a tsunami of The incomprehension which, according to some, arises between the sexes. The new situation has even had liberating virtues for women: if 74% of them say “no” more easily than 5 years ago, they have not gone into “withdrawal” mode, on the contrary, since 30% of French women claim to take the first step and 80% feel more comfortable guiding the conversation than men. “A conversation that is intended to be more demanding than before,” says Fanny Auger, expert in this field and founder of “The School of Life Paris”: “What do you do in life?”, that’s no longer enough, laughs. she said.
In 2024, nearly 70% of French people prefer someone sensitive to environmental and societal causes
You have to differentiate between discussing and conversing. A real exchange is one in which we say things that we would never have imagined saying… To break the ice, I often recommend the question “Where did you grow up and how did it impact you? ?” : it’s both intimate and non-judgmental and opens the door to real conversation.” Among the criteria that are becoming more important, the relationship to the world of the person we meet: in 2024, nearly 70% of French people prefer someone sensitive to environmental and societal causes. Beyond what we say to each other, there is also the non-verbal. Men who fear looking old-fashioned if they hold the restaurant door can be reassured: only 2% of French people believe that chivalry is sexist.
More than 7 in 10 app users believe in “true love”
The most glaring change concerns the delicate subject of “first meeting: Who pays the bill?” » In 2024, only 17% of women expect it to be the man, that's half as many as in 2012!
The fires of love
Finally, among the things that have changed, there is one that warms the heart. The French have never believed so much in couples: more than 7 out of 10 app users believe in “true love”, that’s 4 points more than twelve years ago, and 64% even think that “soulmates” exist (it’s 6% more). We will be careful not to discourage them on this last point (if your soul mate is an 82 year old gentleman who lives in the depths of Arkansas, what are you going to do?) and to remind them that the magic of a couple is more of elective affinities than of destiny… but we will wish them the meeting of their dreams, with or without algorithms.
Funny places for a meeting…
In the ocean of active sites in France, these particularly attracted us:
Do you like the uniform?
“Your boss’s wife” is aimed at women (only) wanting to meet military personnel (gendarmes, soldiers and police officers). Martial presentation, no photos of the candidates and a cost of 4.99 euros per profile you wish to contact (lafemmedetonchef.fr or @lafemmedetonchef).
God gave you faith?
Dating sites between Christians (Navis Fidelis, Théotokos, Jetunoo, Heavn), Muslims (Muslima, Islamunion, Inshallah, Mektoube), Jews (Jdream, Jdate), Buddhists or Hindus (Oulfa) abound… Be careful, some are not laughing at this everything, even offering meetings with chaperones, brrr!
Want a meeting like in “101 Dalmatians”?
These sites offer dog owners geolocation and more if they have canine affinities (MyDogSociety, Pawoo).
Match with a compost whiz or a permaculture warrior?
This is possible thanks to mygreenlovers.com or vegaia.com.
Sweat to be better transported?
These apps offer sports partners with whom it is not forbidden to end up in the shower (Sportpartner, Smatch, Atclub).
Is the gentleman in the Volvo handsome?
Try to find it using its license plate (carimmat).
Are you only free one evening a week?
If it's Thursday, it's okay, then (Thursday dating and Thursday events only work on that day).
Are you Zelda's princess?
Your “Link” could well be on “geekmemore”, the video game affinity dating app.
