Go to :

Accessibility settings
Text size
Line spacing
Underline action buttons
View table of contents
Reset the default values.
Having trouble using our site? Contact us !
Table of contents
Apur, The Parisian urban planning workshop on the scale of Paris and Greater Paris documents, deciphers, supports, illuminates, projects, explores and shares diversity.

Addressing the issue of solitude in the Greater Paris - Grand Paris -

Almost a quarter of the people living in Grand Paris admit they often or very often feel alone and eight out of ten suffer as a result. What measures and actions can be taken to address this factor of vulnerability?

Icône de la catégorie Addressing the issue of solitude in the Greater Paris - Grand Paris -
Print the page
Installation of lounge chairs and tables as part of an effort to reclaim public space at Place du Châtelet © Apur – David Boureau

1.4 million people live alone in Grand Paris Metropolis, representing one out of every five of its residents (20%) which is two percent more than in Metropolitan France (18%). Between 2011 and 2022, the number of people living alone increased by 1% per year in Grand Paris Metropolis, that is 18,400 more people each year. This increase can be explained by a number of structural factors: the ageing of the population, the rise in the number of students in the heart of the conurbation and changes in family trajectories, such as couples not living together, separating or forming a relationship later in life. In this context, a quarter of the respondents to the survey conducted by Apur on social connections, stated they often or very often felt alone (23%), and a third occasionally (32%). Among them, eight out of ten said they suffered from this and 31% suffered a lot. This distress is particularly pronounced in certain groups of the population, such as those who are inactive or unemployed (86% responded that they suffer from loneliness). However, contrary to the general assumption, young people as well as older adults appear to be among those who feel loneliness most acutely. This was observed to be particularly pronounced in Paris.

While loneliness is today recognised as a major social phenomenon worldwide and many studies emphasise the importance of social relationships as a factor of individual and collective resilience, this note puts forward concrete proposals for strengthening local, social connections. It is based on the most recent demographic data coming from the Insee population census and on the results of a survey conducted by Apur in 2023 which covered the whole of Grand Paris Metropolis, to which more than 2,500 people responded. It focused on their social relationships and local connections. Several leverage points have been identified: to act in response to social and territorial disparities, to support enjoyable, friendly moments and events in places linked to people's daily lives, to facilitate access information and the visibility of existing initiatives, to enhance the welcoming nature of public space and support local businesses, to encourage action that fosters linking social connections to other types of needs, to accompany pivotal periods of life and build trust and to integrate the fight against loneliness into urban and metropolitan policies.

learn more...