Love is at the heart of French culture. The country is famous for its art, romantic literature, and picturesque landscapes. France is a favorite destination for couples because it has many landmarks of love, including the Love Lock Bridge and the I Love You Wall.
But while the country itself exudes romance, that doesn’t mean French singles have romantic opportunities everywhere they look. Often, dating apps are necessary to bring relationship seekers together.
We have compiled a list of the best French dating sites and apps to help singles in France find their perfect match, no matter where they currently reside.
1. Match
Match.com has come a long way since it launched in April 1995. This well-reputed dating site has honed its match algorithm to identify long-term compatibility and facilitate countless first dates, serious relationships, and successful marriages. Match’s esteemed dating experts go to great lengths to guide singles to a seriously good match.
- Match is the world’s longest running dating site
- The Discover section has search filters by interests, looks, lifestyle, and more
- Match is available in 50 countries and 15 languages
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
Match is an online dating platform active in more than 50 countries. The app boasts a user base of more than 30 million singles. While Match is most popular in the United States, that doesn’t mean its international capabilities aren’t worthwhile. Match supports over 40 languages, with approximately 20% of users coming from outside of the US.
Since its inception in 1995, Match has fostered an estimated 517,000 relationships and 92,000 marriages. Members can start with a free subscription and create a dating profile, search for and view matches, and exchange messages with people in their Top Picks list. The Top Picks list is a curated selection of highly compatible matches, so it’s an excellent place to start building relationships.
You can send and receive unlimited messages, secure calls, and instant message chats from anyone on the platform by upgrading to a paid subscription. Thanks to its advanced search filters and international reach, Match wins out as the best website and app for French dating.
EliteSingles.com maintains a sophisticated network of young professionals seeking a relationship. Over 80% of its members hold a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree, and over 90% are over the age of 30. Elite Singles uses an intelligent matchmaking system to introduce daters to someone on their level.
- Over 2 million monthly users
- Premium members receive 20 wildcard matches a day
- Search features include age, height, education, ethnicity, and lifestyle habits
- Browse Elite Singles profiles 100% free »
EliteSingles (and its French version known as EliteRencontre) is an international dating platform for educated, relationship-minded singles. EliteSingles works with partners in more than 25 countries worldwide and pairs 2,000 couples each month, on average, through its rigorous and intelligent matchmaking algorithm.
The online dating site specifically caters to individuals who are looking for a serious relationship and desire ambitious, educated partners. EliteSingles has a solid following among French and European singles. The European region saw approximately 155,000 new EliteSingles registrations in 2018, with approximately 85% of overall members holding a higher education degree.
3. OurTime
OurTime is an over-50 dating site with a lot of helpful features to facilitate friendships and relationships. Senior singles can look for dates themselves using the search tools, or they can view a curated list of matches to find compatible folks. Singles can send likes, flirts, and faves for free, but they have to subscribe to send messages to their online crushes.
- Open to straight, gay, and lesbian singles over 50
- Free match recommendations and conversation starters
- Use Tokens to promote your profile and send virtual gifts
- Browse OurTime profiles 100% free »
OurTime offers a customized, streamlined matchmaking process developed especially for singles over 50 and has a good reputation for international senior dating.
After answering a series of questions about who and what you’re looking for in a partner, OurTime provides daily matches that meet your standards. You can also search for partners based on relationship goals, ethnicity, and physical build.
OurTime has a free trial membership for new members who just want the basics of online dating. A single person can purchase a subscription to access additional features that can make finding a mature partner easier. The mature dating platform is engineered for simplicity, so there’s no reason for senior singles to feel intimidated by online dating.
4. OkCupid
In 2004, OkCupid’s founders decided to create a fool-proof formula for love, and they launched a free dating site to delve into what personal attributes made relationships work. OkCupid members can send unlimited messages for free. It’s easy to discover mutual interests and compatibility on the platform’s information-rich dating profiles.
- Free, unlimited communication for everyone
- Singles can swipe or search for a compatible date
- Over 91 million connections every year
- Browse OkCupid profiles 100% free »
If you’re looking for something a little different than your run-of-the-mill dating platform, OkCupid is a good option. OkCupid is a clever dating app that uses match percentages to display the likelihood of compatibility between you and a potential partner.
The dating platform breaks down compatibility ratings and personality quiz question responses for users to assess for themselves, allowing more visibility into the matchmaking process. That means OkCupid users don’t have to spend months getting to know someone before encountering a dealbreaker. Users can view a potential match’s answers to important questions upfront. The quiz touches on topics ranging from TV shows and music genre preferences to political affiliations and religious beliefs.
It’s important to note that while OkCupid is an American company, the platform has an international reach and is one of the few dating platforms that don’t put location limits on new matches.
OkCupid also expanded its gender and orientation options in 2014. The dating network currently allows you to select from 22 genders and 12 sexual orientations to help you fully express yourself while online dating.
5. Badoo
Badoo offers an international dating platform curated for singles looking for both serious and casual connections. According to some online dating number crunchers, 40% of French dating app users downloaded Badoo in 2022, making it one of the most popular dating apps in the country.
Badoo has many free features and a slightly more mature user base than you’ll find on the typical swiping apps. You can keep a completely free membership forever if you don’t want additional features, which include more advanced match settings and a featured profile. If you decide to upgrade to a paid plan, Badoo has a unique pricing structure that ensures you only pay for the premium upgrades you actually want.
Badoo makes it easy for both French citizens and French visitors alike to chat with new people and plan dates around the country.
6. Meetic.fr
Meetic offers a way to connect with singles in your city who align with your values, culture, and personality. Meetic offers one of the best selections of local French users, with 96% coming from France.
The platform has paired more than 8 million couples since its launch. It offers features other sites lack, including events for singles, virtual coaching, video calls for serious matches, and incognito mode to browse profiles without anyone knowing.
Meetic is also committed to providing a safe dating platform for serious French singles.
7. Once
Once markets itself as a slow dating app that doesn’t rush singles into hasty relationships. As the platform’s name implies, Once keeps things simple and offers just one match per day. You and your match have 24 hours to make an impression before a new match appears in the chat window.
When you enter the online dating site for the first time, you add a relationship aspiration and fill out a digital profile. Once’s artificial intelligence program uses that information to select potential partners (one at a time) out of its user base of 9 million people.
FAQs: What’s the Best American Dating Site for Meeting a French Partner?
International dating doesn’t have to be difficult. As a top international dating site with a global user base, eharmony is the best American dating site for finding a French partner.
eharmony employs a unique, science-based compatibility matching system that automatically pairs suitable local and international matches.
Since its launch in 2000, eharmony has endeavored to find the formula for love. Its 32-dimension personality test uses psychological truths to identify areas of compatibility between two individuals. The dating site’s mission is to foster relationships that last, and every potential match has a reason behind it.
- Over 2 million people have found love here
- Users can filter their match recommendations by age or city
- Compatibility Quiz identifies common interests, lifestyles, and goals
- Browse eharmony profiles 100% free »
The eharmony app and site connect members based on their responses to questions about life goals, communication styles, and personality attributes. The process ensures everyone on your match list shares some degree of compatibility. That can make international connections a bit less daunting.
The dating platform also has a range of filters and search criteria, including age, country, and background, to help narrow your scope.
Many online dating platforms now offer international dating capabilities. But eharmony prides itself on providing an inclusive platform for people of different cultures and backgrounds to make meaningful connections in an open-minded and secure space.
Where Online Can French Singles Meet Casual Dates?
Ashley Madison is not just for affairs; it also can be used for casual hookups and anonymous dating.
On Ashley Madison, you input your preferences, interests, and what you’re looking for in a potential partner and match with like-minded individuals.
Ashley Madison is an extramarital dating site with over 80 million profiles in its private database, and it is full of temptation. The site and app offer a judgment-free zone where married people can consider their options and chat with singles who are willing to get together on the down-low.
- A uniquely open-minded dating network
- Privacy-conscious features
- Over 1.4 million matches per month
- Browse Ashley Madison profiles 100% free »
Unlike other dating apps, Ashley Madison doesn’t remove married people from its database or require you to divulge many private details online. You can choose to remain completely anonymous and share as much (or as little) personal information as you want.
Is the Tinder Dating App Popular in France?
Tinder is popular everywhere, including in France. The dating platform went viral in 2012 for its groundbreaking swiping feature, and now it’s the go-to app for 20-somethings looking for casual partners. Tinder offers a considerable dating pool worldwide and swiping features to browse potential matches quickly.
In 2012, Tinder pioneered a swiping-based match system that empowered singles to connect with dates who liked them back. Tinder users can message their mutual matches for free on this fast-paced dating app. Since its launch, Tinder has created over 97 billion matches worldwide.
- Supports active daters in 190+ countries
- The swiping system creates over 12 million matches per day
- Tinder Plus members have unlimited likes and 5 Super Likes
- Browse Tinder profiles 100% free »
Tinder has a global user base, and France ranks in the top three countries with the most paid users. As with all dating apps, the more paid users, the more active the user base. After all, investing your money in something makes you more likely to use it.
Whether you’re a French local or a short-term visitor to the country, you’ll have access to a large pool of potential partners to chat with and take on dates.
Tinder has been criticized for its superficiality and potential to burn out singles with too many options. Other dating platforms base their matching systems on personality profiles or compatibility quizzes. But the Tinder algorithm takes the quality of your dating profile, your activity, and your profile’s popularity (how many swipes right) to bring you matches.
Tinder can be an effective, affordable resource if you’re just looking for something casual while in France or want to peruse the singles in your area.
Meet New People on a French Dating Service
Whether you’re a French native looking for a local partner or someone wanting to test the waters of international dating, meeting new people on a French dating service has never been easier. A dating app exists for everyone, and many have desirable features, including compatibility matching, search criteria filtering, and virtual date coaching.
French dating sites and apps come in all different sizes, so take stock of our list to choose the one that best suits your dating needs.
