Are French people really that romantic?

Today is February 11. Lovers are panicking because they haven't found the perfect gift for their partner or are thinking about where they'll spend their romantic evening on Friday, while the proud and seasoned singles are contemplating the dish they’ll order on Uber Eats or the upcoming “galentines” celebration. But beyond these days when even the grumpiest and most anti-commercial holiday folks don heart-shaped glasses and let themselves be carried away by the love in the air, what about romanticism? And especially, in the land of Cyrano and Roxane, and Edith Piaf’s Hymn to Love, what place does romance and love take in these times of dating recession?

Love is hardly tied to a single origin, a tangible reason, or even a clear definition, just as it is hardly measurable. Yet, since the dawn of time, a handy little instrument has helped us show our partners how much we care: romanticism. Though difficult to define, romanticism can be divided into five categories, or rather, five love languages, according to American author Gary Chapman’s theory. These include physical touch, words of affirmation, gifts, quality time, and acts of service. Each human being expresses their love through a bit of each, but has one predominant language. While we don’t know the predominant love language of the French, back in November, we discussed physical touch and their sexuality, whose codes have drastically changed over the last five years. The study actually shows that in bed, the French now favor quantity over quality, with a surge in multiple partnerships, meaning not limiting oneself to one sexual partner and opening the range of possibilities. And what about love (not physical, but emotional this time)? Does it still have a place in the French home and bedroom?

A study titled Love as a commitment device - Evidence from a Cross-Cultural Study across 90 Countries, involving 86,310 people aged 18 to 90 from 90 countries, teaches us a lot about love internationally, including France. It shows for instance that the importance placed on romantic feelings varies from country to country. In Ghana, it drops below 10%, while in France, it still exceeds 70%, making it the second European country to give a lot of importance to love, following Italy. In 2024, 81% of French people declared themselves satisfied with their relationship with their spouse or partner, 72% still feel in love, and 61% are satisfied with their sex life, according to an Ipsos survey. However, another study regarding couples' eating habits shows that a shared dish can change everything.

An analysis by OpinionWay conducted by HelloFresh explains how our behaviors in the kitchen “reflect our couple dynamics, emotional needs, and ways of loving”, but more importantly, that 40% of French people categorically refuse to let their partner pick from their plate. On a more positive note, only 17% of French people say that meals are a subject of conflict, while 58% of couples surveyed decide together on their weekly menu. Furthermore, a majority of French people (64%) believe that meal preparation should be a shared task between both partners, 72% enjoy their partner’s taste in food, and 60% prefer sharing a meal together even if the menu doesn’t entirely please them. In short, the French remain officially certified lover boys and girls. What can you say? When we love, we don't count (the fries missing from our plate when our partner orders a salad).