A woman in Versailles, France
Here is the quick list of my top five dating sites and apps in France. I’ll go into more detail in my reviews below.
Ahh, France. The first thing I think of when I think of France is Paris and the romantic sidewalk cafes and strolling with that special someone down the Champs-Élysées. Much like Spain, Germany, and Italy, France has an active dating market.
When I first traveled to Paris as an adult back in the early 2000s, there were no dating apps to speak of. There were a few dating sites, but they didn’t have near the membership base they have today.
If you happen to be single and looking for love in Paris or anywhere else in France, you’re in luck my friend. France has several good quality websites and apps from which to choose.
As is the case with most countries, you’ll increase your chance of success if you live in a city with a large pool of potential partners. For the best results, try to stay close to cities with a lot of single people, like Paris, Marseilles, Lyon, Nice, or Toulouse.
French Model – Laura Tanguy (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Ok, without further ado, let’s take a look at my favorite dating sites and apps below.
Founded in 2001 and based in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, Meetic.fr is the best online dating site in France. From its humble beginnings, it has grown into the largest online dating site in Europe.
Meetic France
Following the acquisition of Match.com’s European operations, the site exploded in popularity and has millions of members all across the EU.
Meetic.fr’s features and design are similar to other Meetic network members like Match. Of all the Meetic sites I’ve seen, however, Meetic.fr’s website design is far and away the best.
The sign-up process especially was beautifully inviting. While Meetic.fr’s features aren’t terribly exciting, they are reliable. You’ll need a premium membership to do much of anything on the site, however. If you are willing to pay, and you speak French, I would recommend you give Meetic.fr a try.
Sign up Process
To begin, select your gender and match gender and enter your birthday. Next, you’ll be faced with some questions regarding your personality, lifestyle and appearance, and your ideal match criteria. The presentation of these questions was gorgeous web-design; I wish all dating sites looked like this!
In this section you’ll also upload a photo at some point, and you’ll finish by writing a short blurb about yourself. All-in-all, this took me around 10 minutes to complete.
To complete your profile, there are more questions to answer about yourself. You can also create a short quiz for your visitors to take, choosing questions from a long list, or creating them yourself.
How to Locate Potential Matches
First off, you can choose between basic and advanced searches. Basic searches include: born on the same day as me, it’s their birthday, perfect matches, reverse matches and mutual matches.
Advanced searches are searches you customize, using filters to narrow down your search. All the basic filters are here: age, location, education, smoking habits, education, etc. These searches can be saved for later use.
Another option is to use the Shuffle feature, a Tinder-like feature, in which you’re shown random profiles to like or dislike, both of you being notified when there’s a mutual match. And, of course, you can also add profiles to your Favorites.
How to Communicate with Other Members
Once you’ve found a match you like, you can send a Flash (basically a flirt/wink feature), but unfortunately you won’t be able to contact them until you’ve upgraded to a premium membership. Once you’ve done so, communication features are pretty basic, with text messages and IM chats available for members online. You can also add profiles to your favorites.
Unique Site Features
Two features stood out to me on Meetic.fr:
- Mag – This onsite blog is chock full of helpful articles on dating, relationships, online dating, and more.
- Customer Support – Get this: if you call their hotline, you can speak with an actual person! Amazing. This feature is only available for premium members.
What is Included in Each Membership Level
- Free – Create a profile, upload a photo, search/browse/watch profiles, receive messages, send messages to Connect members, use Shuffle limited
- Premium – Unrestricted use of Shuffle, see who has visited or favorited you, start live chats and message with anyone, customer support
- Extras:
- Incognito Mode – Invisible browsing
- Boost – Boost your profile, advanced placement in search results, extended communication options
Bumble
Bumble stands out as the first matchmaking app to put women in the driver’s seat. Similar to other popular apps on the market, Bumble lets users swipe left and right through profiles of other users.
When it comes to talking, only women have the option to send the first message and they only have 24 hours to do it. But first, how to get started.
Sign up Process
Setting up an account is quick and user friendly. Profiles consist not only of a selection of pictures but also allow information such as height, what user’s are looking for on the app, different conversation starters such as ‘favorite movie’, etc… in addition to a short bio. This puts a little more emphasis on personality while still remaining very visually based.
The app requires either a Facebook account or phone verification to set up an account as well as providing additional authentication by submitting a selfie matching the instructed pose to eliminate fake accounts.
How to Locate Potential Matches
All profiles are displayed on the main page of the app displaying a picture and name. If interested, a user can scroll down on the photo to reveal additional photos and information and finally choose to swipe left if they would not want to match and right if they do.
How to Communicate with Other Members
Perhaps the most distinctive part of Bumble is its effort to engage female users by enabling only women to send the first message and by limiting their time frame to 24 hours since matching. This encourages women to be more engaged in showing interest, taking the rejection of other app designs off of male users. Some find this refreshing while others find it frustrating or burdensome, either way it remains a huge draw for Bumble.
Unique App Features
Since Bumble has gained in popularity, it has introduced two new interfaces within the same app: Bumble BFF which allows users to create new friendships and Bumble Bizz which works as a networking platform for businesses and people looking for new career opportunities.
The app also hosts live events open to all app users through Bumble Hive, allowing users to meet, as possible friends, business partners and even potential matches.
What is Included in Each Membership Level
The app is free to download and use but different subscriptions offer enticing features. While some users find the time limits constricting, upgrading to Bumble Boost enables users to extend a match by an additional 24 hours, giving them extra time to send a message or to respond.
Bumble Boost also allows users to rematch with matches that have since expired as well as showing which profiles have swiped right on them already in a feature called the Beeline.
Happn
Happn is a good third option. It takes a different approach than other apps, I explained in my full review here.
Lovoo
I recommend singing up for Lovoo as a fourth option. It doesn’t have the user base that the other apps I mentioned above have, but I like the app, and you might find a few hidden gems. Check out my full review here.
OkCupid
OkCupid is one of the oldest dating websites, having been founded back in 2004. Fortunately, OkCupid has done a good job of modernizing its platform over the years. The site has enjoyed solid growth over the years and remains one of the most popular and widely used dating sites.
OkCupid focuses on providing higher quality matches and uses personality tests to see if people are a good fit. Most members fall between the age of 25 and 34. However, there are a lot of users in every age range.
As for relationships, you can express interest in short-term new friends, hookups, short-term dating, and long-term dating.
Sign up Process
Registering for OkCupid is simple enough. First, you fill out your basic details, like name and location. You can also register with Facebook and have most of this information filled in for you.
However, registering doesn’t mean you’re signed up and free to go. OkCupid’s distinguishing feature is its personality tests. Before you can find matches and send messages, you need to answer a bunch of questions that will gauge your personality.
OkCupid suggests that you answer between 50 to 100 questions to get started. This takes a bit of time but helps you find better matches.
How to Locate Potential Matches
Once you’re done answering questions, OkCupid will show you a bunch of potential matches. These matches are graded with percents based on your personality fit.
The primary search feature is OkCupid’s “Double Take”. Like other dating apps, Double Take will show you profiles one at a time. You can then choose to like the person or pass. Click on the star to like or hit the X to pass.
If the other person matches with you, you’ll be able to message each other.
OkCupid also features a search function. You can filter people based on different traits, like age, whether they’re smokers, or pet owners, and many other things. If you find someone through search and like them, you’ll start to be shown to them more often.
If they like you back, you’ll be able to message them.
How to Communicate with Other Members
Unlike many apps, you can message people before they like you by sending an introductory message. If you like someone, you’ll be moved up in the Double Take feature. When people click on your profile, they’ll also see your introductory message.
If they like you back, you can start chatting through the built-in messaging platform.
Unique App Features
Two things help OkCupid stand out. First, personality tests may help you find better fitting matches. This can lead to more meaningful connections. It does take more work to answer questions, however, and some people may prefer the ease of other apps.
Second, the search feature allows you to filter people based on attributes. Some users may find this more convenient than swiping.
What is Included in Each Membership Level
You can use OkCupid for free and will be able to access most of the features. In fact, OkCupid’s free account offers quite a bit. You will see ads, which can get annoying. Also, you can’t see who likes you.
If you upgrade to the A-List, you’ll be able to see who likes you right away. This means you can find potential matches more quickly. You also get unlimited likes and don’t have to deal with ads.
Premium A-List includes all of the above and also offers a daily automatic boost. You can also see answers to other users’ public questions as well and will be shown more attractive people to potentially match with.
You can also purchase an incognito mode. While you have incognito mode, no one will see you until you like them.
How to Get Started:
If you’re really serious about finding love in France, I highly recommend you learn French, even at a basic level. Your ability to connect with the woman (or man) of your dreams will be so much higher if you’re able to speak in your love interest’s mother tongue.
Once you know some basic French, sign up for one of the sites/apps I mentioned above. If you need help on how to set up a profile, what to write for your initial and follow up messages, when to ask the woman/man you’re interested in to go offline for a date, and more, check out my e-book, Online Dating Success: How to Find Love Anywhere in the World. In the book I go into detail about all of that stuff.
Good luck on the dating trail! Bonne chance (“Good luck” in French)!
Further Reading
Worldwide Online Dating Site Reviews: Be sure to check out my country-by-country reviews of the best online dating sites in the world.
Worldwide Moving Guide: Everything you need to know in order to plan your move to 65+ countries around the world.
Worldwide Jobs Guide: If you are interested in working in this country, be sure to check out my posts on how to find jobs in this country and other countries around the world.
Worldwide Apartments Guide: If you are interested in renting an apartment in another country, take a look at my articles on how to find an apartment in various countries around the world.
About Addison Sears-Collins
Hey! I'm Addison Sears-Collins, the founder of Visa Hunter. You can learn more about me here. Connect with me by liking my fan page on Facebook, connecting with me on Twitter, or check out my website Automatic Addison where I build robots and embedded systems.
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