France sees near‑doubling of weekly sport time over a decade

A new Ipsos study of more than 2,000 French adults finds that 72 % now engage in regular physical activity, up 18 points since 2012. The average weekly time spent on sport has risen to about four hours, almost twice the level a decade ago. Growth is driven by walking, running and other outdoor activities, while gym attendance has fallen to roughly one‑third of participants.

In parallel, French rugby has aligned with international rules: professional matches now permit a maximum of eight permanent substitutions from a 23‑player match sheet, with three temporary exceptions for front‑row safety, bleeding and concussion. The previous French system allowed twelve changes with the possibility of players returning to the field, a practice now discontinued.