Most Popular and Common Hair Colors in France & Most Hated Color

France is the capital fashion of the world, and this fact cannot be disputed. But beyond clothes and accessories, hair is one thing you also have to love about France. 

Every year, we get a glimpse of the hairstyles and colors trending in Paris and the entire country of France. But sometimes, our curiosity pushes us beyond the hair trends and color combinations, and we want to find out what the hair color is beyond the magazine pages and TV screens.

If you plan to visit France and want to get your hair color right, or you’re just wondering what the most common hair color in France is, this post will answer your questions. Let’s proceed.

What is the most common hair color in France?

The most common hair color and also the most popular hair color in France is brown. 

Beyond brown, you’ll also find a lot of French natives with black and blonde hair across some parts of France. You’ll also find people with a mix of blonde and brown hair, while you might stumble on some redheads, especially in the North-West of France. 

Of course, like other countries, you’ll find the artificial hair colors blue and red gotten by using hair dyes.

Let’s look at the three most common hair colors in France.

1. Brown

Brown hair color - Most popular hair color in France

Many France natives have naturally brown hair which one of the most popular french hair colors.

You can find people with pure brown, light, medium, and chestnut hair across different regions of France, and they make up the majority of the country.

Across France, and even outside the country’s shores, people with natural brown hair are often called ‘brunette.’

There is a connection to the French language, It is the feminine form of the French word ‘brun’ which means brown. 

2. Black

Black hair color - popular hair color in France

While brown hair is the most common color amongst the native French, you’ll find lots of people with black hair farther South of France, especially closer to Spain, and further along the Mediterranean. 

The popularity of black/very dark hair is traceable to immigration from North Africa and Southern European countries like Spain or Italy.

Based on popularity, black hair is the second most common hair color in France after brown.

3. Blonde

Blonde - popular hair color in France

The northern parts of France are home to many blondes, specifically the North East of France.

One interesting thing about hair colors in France is that some persons have witnessed their hair start as blonde or light brown, and then get darker over time until they are left with a hair color that’s within black and brown, but definitely on the darker side.

The farther north you go, the more you find regular blonde hair and darker shades of blonde. Ofcourse, you can find blondes anywhere, although they’re home to the North.

What is the most hated hair color in France?

Is there such a thing as the most hated hair color in France? 

Well, while ‘hated’ might not be the best word to describe how people in France relate to this hair color, ‘prejudiced’ might be the best word.

Trust me, it sucks to know that any hair color doesn’t get loved enough for some reason, but we can’t help it, so let’s face the reality head-on!

Red is the most hated/prejudiced hair color in France!

Red hair color

It is necessary to start by saying that redheads are quite rare in France, although not extremely. You can stumble upon redheads in France, but not as common as you could in the United Kingdom or the United States.

Many of the stereotypes about red hair come from the Middle Ages, but are now fast fading as education and exposure continue to make people do away with negative stereotypes that have no root in facts.

One obnoxious stereotype about red-headed people is that they smell bad, even if there is no single way to prove that.

When people in France say “la rouquine” which means redhead, they often use it in a derogatory manner, especially at guys. A few women might suffer the same derogatory treatment, but many redheaded women in France are thought to be attractive.

Kids might be teased and taunted for being redheads at school, but with adulthood, such situations disappear.

On the national scene, society and French media don’t portray redheads differently from any other hair color.

Is blonde hair common in France?

Yes! Blonde hair is common in France.

 In fact, it is one of the most common hair colors, as we have explained above, but let’s go into more details beginning with history.

Records from the Middle Ages imply that members of high nobility had blonde hair, especially those of Germanic descent.

There were also 18th-century nursery rhymes and ancient sayings that referred to the kids as blonde heads, which can only imply that it was common to find blonde hair in mainstream France.

Although blonde hair is not rare in France, some persons are of the impression that it is. This is because they’re probably looking at the Frenchmen who are immigrants.

Many of such immigrants, especially those of African descent come from nations where they are predominantly brown or black-haired.

The ethnic French citizens have more blonde-hairs in their population. Nevertheless, it can never compare to the number of blondes you find amongst Northern European populations in the Netherlands, Britain, and northern Germany.

However, they have a higher number of blondes than in the southern locations like Italy, the Iberian Peninsula, and Greece.

Conclusively, an estimated 26% of the French population is blonde-haired. 

Final Words:

Beyond the hair colors and the yearly hair season, I hope you have gotten a glimpse of the most common hair color in France. Most times, genes and descent have a lot to do with the prominent hair colors across each region.

If you’re traveling to France or thinking of relocating, this article will guide you and help you know the best hair color decision to make.

For a multi-cultural country like France, you’ll find different colors and shades of hair, just like you would for eye color and skin. But variety is the spice of life, so enjoy it!