IFOP survey on French women's sexuality

OUR IFOP STUDY · OCTOBER 2026

We have sex less often
than 20 years ago

Nearly 2,000 people with vulvas spoke frankly about their intimate lives. Everyone has their own rhythm… and that rhythm has changed.

40%in 2005
28%in 2026

of respondents identified as women have sex at least once a week

20052026
40
28
At least once a week
11
17
At least once a month
8
11
Over a month ago
23
31
Never

In %. Base: all people with vulvas surveyed. “Don’t know” responses are not shown.

The key findings in four figures

1 in 4

in a relationship are not currently having sex, or have stopped having it

77%

in a relationship have sex less often than at the start of their relationship

71%

are satisfied with their romantic lives

76%

think more everyday tenderness would spark their desire

And within the relationship?

Desire has its seasons. It often settles down over the years, without getting in the way of a happy life together.

26 out of 100 don’t have sex, or no longer do.

A phase every couple experiences in their own way, which can come to an end when desire returns.

Each dot represents 1 in 100 people with vulvas who are in a relationship. Base: people with vulvas in a relationship (1,240).

A matter of generation

Millennial women are the most sexually active. After 60, intimate lives tend to become quieter, often because people live alone.

55%
Gen Z18–29 years old
72%
Millennials30–45 years old
60%
Gen X46–61 years old
31%
Boomers62–80 years old
10%
Silent81 and over

Base: all respondents identified as women, whether in a relationship or not. “Active sex life”: regular or occasional sex with a partner, whether in a relationship or not.

Why desire sometimes fades

We asked people with vulvas who are in a relationship without sex to explain why, in their own words.

Less desire or a lower libido
36%
Health and physical limitations
31%
Age
17%
Tension in the relationship
9%
Busy schedules and distance
7%
More libidoThe desire is goneNot enough time

Spontaneous responses; multiple answers possible. Base: 321 respondents identified as women who are in a relationship without sex.

So what would
spark their desire?

Their answers are quite gentle: tenderness, rest and conversation.

More everyday affection
76%
Better fitness, better sleep
75%
More conversations about what you want
65%
More time together
62%
More variety (places, activities…)
46%
Break the routine with games or toys
46%

“Yes, a lot” + “Yes, a little”. Base: people with vulvas in a relationship (1,240).

Solo pleasure,
a well-established habit

Enjoying pleasure on your own is no sign that a relationship has failed. It’s a way to get to know your body and stay connected to your desire.

39%

of respondents identified as women who are in a relationship preferred masturbating to having sex with their partner this year

10% often, 29% less frequently
41%

among people with vulvas in a relationship who no longer have sex: pleasure is still there

61%

of respondents identified as women who are in a relationship have shared intimacy without penetration: caresses, mutual masturbation, oral sex…

Proportion who preferred solo pleasure to sex with their partner

18–24 years old
51%
25–34 years old
41%
35–49 years old
45%
50–64 years old
39%
65 and over
29%

Over the past 12 months. Base: people with vulvas who have been in a relationship for at least a year (1,190).

Less sex,
not necessarily less happiness

71%

of respondents identified as women are satisfied with their romantic lives

83%

of people with vulvas in a relationship are

63%

of those in relationships without sex are too

Sex matters to 68% of respondents identified as women when it comes to being happy in love, compared with 83% of men. A gap worth talking about together.

OUR 2026 ADVENT CALENDARS

Resolution:
rekindle desire

Time just for the two of you, questions you’ve never asked each other, intimate care products to help you take your time and toys to try together. The Passage du Désir Advent calendars tuck all that into 24 little doors.

PREMIUM

Passage du Désir x HYYO

Includes the Calypso 3-in-1 rabbit vibrator, 8 premium sex toys, 7 intimate care products and 24 cheeky challenges to turn every December evening into a moment together

★ 4.6/5 · 265 reviews
189 €Total value €714
PREMIUM

Passage du Désir x Womanizer

The couples’ Advent calendar co-created with Womanizer, featuring a Premium 2 and 24 surprises to explore pleasure together throughout December.

★ 4.8/5 · 1,318 reviews
199 €Total value €714
DELUXE

Passage du Désir x Womanizer x Lovense

Our brand-new Deluxe edition, in collaboration with Womanizer and Lovense. Includes the iconic Womanizer Next, Lush 3 and Bora-Bora for the first time!

★ 4.8/5 · 1,318 reviews
299 €Total value €869

Limited quantities. Free delivery on orders over €69 in France and Belgium.

Ifop study for Passage du désir, conducted through an online self-administered questionnaire from 19 to 24 August 2026 with a sample of 1,947 women representative of the female population of France aged 18 and over, including 1,240 women in a relationship.

2005 data: Sofres study for Figaro Magazine, conducted face-to-face on 21 and 22 September 2005 with a national sample of 526 women drawn from a nationally representative sample of 1,000 people aged 18 and over.

Men’s data: 989 men aged 18 and over, surveyed online from 28 to 31 August 2026.