What Percent of France Is Blonde? The Surprising Truth

Is Blonde Hair Common in France?

You might think France is full of chic, blonde Parisians sipping coffee by the Seine—but that’s mostly Hollywood talking. In reality, naturally blonde hair is not that common here. Based on various genetic and sociological studies, only about 15% to 20% of the French population is naturally blonde.

Actually, I used to think it was more, too. When I first moved to Lyon, I kept seeing these light-haired people around and thought, “Wait, is this like… a blonde pocket of France?” But nope, turns out a lot of them were dye jobs. (Which—no judgment, just saying!)

The Blonde Distribution: Region Matters

Northern France vs. the South

If you're heading to Lille or Strasbourg, yeah, you’ll spot more blondes. That’s because northern regions—closer to Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands—have more genetic mixing with northern Europeans, where blonde hair is more prevalent. In contrast, southern France? Way fewer. Darker hair, olive skin, Mediterranean vibes.

It’s honestly kind of fascinating. My friend Camille (from Marseille) once told me, “Down here, we call blondes les Scandinaves perdus,” which loosely means "the lost Scandinavians." She was only half-joking.

Urban Areas Are Different

In cities like Paris or Bordeaux, the numbers skew a bit because of population diversity. You’ve got people from all over France, plus large immigrant populations. So, more variety overall—but ironically, a lot more artificial blondes too. I've literally had a hairdresser in the 11th arrondissement tell me, “We do blonde transformations every single day.”

Are More French People Going Blonde?

Natural vs. Dyed: A Confusing Line

Ah yes, the eternal mystery—who’s actually blonde under there?

Surveys from French cosmetic industry sources say that over 35% of French women have dyed their hair blonde at least once. That’s a lot. And it makes things complicated when you try to figure out natural hair color stats. I've been fooled before, for sure. One time, I complimented my coworker Clara on her “Scandinavian genes,” and she laughed for like five minutes. Turns out her roots were jet black. Oops.

Cultural Trends

There’s a weird (and honestly kinda annoying) stereotype in France that blonde women are either more desirable or more naïve. Both are dumb. But they do influence how people perceive blondes, and why many women try the look at least once. In advertising and TV, you still see blondes front and center, way more than the actual 15-20% would suggest.

Why Aren’t There More Natural Blondes in France?

Well, genetics is the main reason. France is primarily a mix of Celtic, Latin, and Germanic ancestry. That gives you a lot of brown and dark hair, especially when combined with Mediterranean roots. Natural blonde genes tend to recess when mixed, so unless both parents carry the gene, it usually doesn't show up.

Also, I've read somewhere (don’t quote me, I can’t find the study again—classic me) that natural blondes tend to decrease generation after generation in mixed populations. Which kinda makes sense.

Final Thoughts (and a Confession)

So yeah—only around 1 in 5 people in France are naturally blonde. And honestly, probably fewer in real life once you account for all the bottle blondes. But who cares, really? People look great in all shades. Still, it’s wild how our perception of a place can be totally off, thanks to media or just assumptions.

Oh and quick confession: I once tried to dye my hair blonde myself after a breakup. Thought I’d reinvent myself. It turned orange. Bright, pumpkin-spice orange. I had to wear a beanie for like two weeks straight. Never again.

But anyway—next time you’re in France, play the blonde spotting game if you want, just… don’t assume everyone you see was born that way

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How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

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Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

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Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

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Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.