A French dating site promotes extra-marital affairs

A 2012 ad for Gleeden.com © AFP/Bruno Fahy

In France, advertisement posters by Gleeden, a dating website which offers to connect people seeking extra-marital affairs. can be found all over Paris.

Written boldly on the posters is :

"Contrairement a l'antidépresseur, l'amant ne coute rien à la Sécu".

In English :

"Unlike antidepressants, getting a lover does not cost anything."

The advert features a half-eaten apple with the tagline :

"La 1er site de rencontres extra-conjugales pensé par des femmes".

In English :

"The premier site for extra-marital encounters made by women".

On the website of Gleeden, it is written :

The premier international dating website for married people

The dating site has been successful since 2009 when it was launched. Today, it counts over 2 million members worldwide. They guarantee total discretion and 100% real members. They do not ask for a monthly membership fee, it's  entirely free.

Below is one of the ads displayed at the metro in Paris with the tagline :

"Osez, croquez, savourez".

In English :

“Try it, crunch it, savor it,” 

Gleeden ad in the Parisian metro © Le Monde

After several complaints, French authorities have ordered that the ads be pulled from buses in several cities near Paris.

While the  the site's spokesperson argues that pulling that the complaints againts its advertisement is an exaggerated reaction since they have been advertising for five years, that the campaign carried a very neutral message and was in no way shocking, and that infidelity has not been an offence in France since 1975. In  a letter to one bus company, conservative mayor, Marc Robert, of the city of Rambouillet considers that the advert is a clear incitement to disrespect the civil code, which stipulates mutual respect, fidelity, help and assistance between spouses".