PARIS: Deprived of lavish restaurants and forced to stay home at night to curb the spread of the coronavirus, French lovers turn to sex toys to spice up their Valentine’s Day.
“Perhaps at a time when everything seems forbidden, sexuality has become one of our last bastions of freedom,” said Patrick Pruvot, founder of the sex toy store chain Passage du Desir.
In the three months leading up to this year’s Valentine’s Day, sales at the seven outlets of the Passage du Desir increased 68% over the previous months. A year earlier, sales rose just 12 percent during the same period before Feb. 14.
Candy fists and other sex toys line the shelves of Pruvot’s shop, surrounded by closed restaurants and cafes in central Paris. The large red heart-shaped boxes with 14 bedroom toys add a touch of Valentine’s Day to the Advent calendar.
“Normally we would go to a restaurant, but that will be a bit difficult. So I thought maybe she’d like to show her some attention, ”said Maryne Fraudin, 21, as she searched for the merchandise of a perverse game for her and her boyfriend.
France prides itself on being a nation of seducers. Seduction influences not only the relationship of the French among themselves, but the way they do business, define style, choose politicians and enjoy food and drink, Elaine Sciolino wrote in her book Seduction.
For a long time, the French took a long time to accept sex toys, a taboo that had been slowly eroded before the pandemic left many couples with more time on their hands at home, Pruvot said.
“The COVID crisis accelerated the trend,” he said.
Other countries have seen a similar phenomenon during COVID-19 closures. From Denmark to Colombia, normally conservative, sales of sex toys jumped at the start of the pandemic, while British lingerie chain Ann Summer recorded higher sales during the first close.
“What more can we do if we can’t get out,” Anthony Jeka said before leaving with his partner and a carrying bag full of candy.