We can live on a farm at the end of a road or a studio in the heart of a metropolis and share the same little phrase: “I feel alone“. On the occasion of World Loneliness Day on January 23, the Fondation de France unveils a new photograph of solitudes in Francewhich confirms that this malaise affects all generations and all territories.
Behind this image, a number stands out: one in four French people feels aloneor 24% of the population. And almost a third, 32%, experience a form of relational isolation, that is to say very little contact in family, neighborhood, work or associations. Above all, the study depicts a France cut in two between rural isolation And
urban loneliness. A silent fracture.
Rural isolation, urban solitude: what do the figures say?
For the Fondation de France, theisolation
refers to a situation where one is physically cut off from others, with very few connections in the different circles of social life. There solitude it corresponds to a feeling of lack or dissatisfaction in these relationships. We can therefore be isolated without feeling alone, or on the contrary feel very alone while being surrounded.
In total, 32% of residents are affected by relational isolation and 24% say they are alone. The most vulnerable pay the highest price: 16% of people with modest incomes and 20% of the unemployed are isolated; the feeling of loneliness affects 45% of unemployed people and 30% of those whose health is weakened. The World Health Organization recalls that “loneliness and social isolation are not simply emotional states, they can be fatal”, highlighting an issue of
social health.
Differences between isolation and loneliness
- Isolation refers to the state of a person who is physically separated from others, with few connections in various aspects of social life, such as family, friends, professional, neighborhood or associational relationships.
- On the other hand, loneliness is a personal feeling of lack or dissatisfaction in social interactions. It is important to note that isolation and loneliness are not always linked: one person may be isolated without feeling alone, while another may feel alone despite having a surrounding around them.
A France split in two between cities and countryside
On the map, the first dividing line follows the border between cities and countryside. In rural area14% of municipal residents live isolated, compared to 9% in the Paris metropolitan area and large cities. Social connections are rarer, especially when services close, people no longer drive or loved ones have moved away.
© Fondation de France
Screenshot
The paradox is that the feeling of loneliness is a little less strong in the countryside: 21% of rural residents say they are alone, compared to 28% in towns with more than 100,000 inhabitants. Family ties also remain closer in the North, with 61% of residents maintaining regular contact with their loved ones, compared to 48% in the Mediterranean areas, reflecting “different residential trajectories and territorial anchorages”.
Associations, neighbors and small businesses facing loneliness
On the ground, the most concrete relays remain the
associationsfriends, neighbors and small businesses. In the city, 23% of residents have discussed personal matters with local traders, compared to 18% in the countryside, while many rural residents find comfort in nature, in the forest, in the mountains or by the sea.
To fight against relational isolation and to revitalize social bonds, the Fondation de France supports hundreds of associations throughout the country each year.