List of france dating apps

As I watch my friend massacre her phone, my mind drifts to my rookie Tinder days, which coincide with my time living in Paris. Although part of the allure may have been the chance to practice my French, I can’t help but recall a number of long, languid walks and philosophical talks that had resulted from the online dating platform. Could it be that the French have succeeded at tackling the delicate art of online dating with their customary moderation and integrity, allowing them to cultivate genuine connections? Since we clearly need all the help we can get, I resolve to investigate.

The first thing I learn is that it’s about as difficult to get a French person to admit to online dating as it is to get her to admit to knowing the names of the Kardashians. According to Stéphanie Delpon, cofounder of Paris creative agency Pictoresq, the concept is still heavily stigmatized, as it goes against the key pillars of the French mentality. “We live with the belief that love should be easy to find, that it should be sudden and beautiful, like in the books,” Delpon explains. Although she personally views dating apps as “the supermarket of love” where romance goes to die, she admits that the landscape is slowly changing, with more people coming to embrace the technological intrusion into the once-organic process. “It is just a modern way of meeting and loving each other, I suppose,” she muses.

As they skeptically break into the online dating game, the French try to transmit an element of effortlessness through their profiles, approaching them more as vitrines into their real lives than professionally retouched modeling portfolios. Lauriane Gepner, founder of the app Dojo, says that she consciously skips the “best day in years” one-off shots in favor of more accurate photos that leave no room for unrealistic expectations. “Starting a date with the feeling you’ve been lied to is completely counterproductive,” she says. Sunglasses designer Thierry Lasry usually uploads photos directly from his Instagram feed, mixing off-duty and work-related shots that allow a glimpse into his day-to-day.

Lola Rykiel, founder of PR and consulting agency Le Chocolat Noir, advises going for a natural photo of yourself laughing or smiling, which is guaranteed to win out over a “duck face with an Instagram filter” any day. She suggests including one full-length photo, one close-up shot, and one picture that shows your personality, be it having fun with friends or doing what you love, resulting in an accurate representation of who you are and what you stand for. “I think that, at the end of the day, an online dating profile is similar to any form of self-marketing. It needs to have a message in order to be impactful,” she adds.