Loneliness is a fact of daily life for millions of people in France, with record numbers cut off from friends, family and neighbours. At the Photoclimat Biennale in Paris, organisations working to combat isolation have joined forces with artists to explore the intimate reality of an overlooked problem.
An estimated 750,000 people over 60 are living out what French charity Petits Frères des Pauvres (Little Brothers of the Poor) calls a "social death" – rarely or never seeing a friend, relative, neighbour or community worker.
The figure has soared by 42 percent in the past four years. Previous surveys put it at 530,000 in 2021 and 300,000 in 2017.
The organisation's president, Anne Géneau, says loneliness and isolation has become far more widespread, affecting all aspects of social life.
In its latest report, published on Tuesday, the charity found that 2.5 million older people feel lonely daily and nearly 6 million say they don't have anyone to talk to about their feelings.
Beyond family and friends, interactions with local businesses and home professionals such as caregivers or cleaners have also broken down, with 30 percent of seniors reporting less than one exchange per month.
Lasting loneliness
"We thought the worsening observed in 2021 was an accident linked to Covid, which made people withdraw into themselves," Géneau says, referring to social distancing and lockdowns during the pandemic.
"But that is not the case. We are not back to pre-crisis levels."
The charity points to a number of other factors behind the figures. Poverty is the main one, affecting 9 percent of those interviewed for the 2025 poll.
There are also a growing number of seniors without children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren.
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Augmented reality
Often overlooked, isolation is a striking theme at the Photoclimat Biennale in Paris, an open-air festival that brings together artists and NGOs working to address social issues.
French photographer Sacha Goldberger spent time interviewing seniors who receive help from Petits Frères des Pauvres for his exhibition "Augmented Solitude". Some of them hadn’t left their apartments in months or even years, he says.
Based on their conversations, he used artificial intelligence to splice together portraits of his subjects with images of someone they’d like to meet or keep them company. Spectators use their smartphones to view the augmented-reality photographs and learn the backstory.
Goldberger says that while the series exploits AI, it also shows that retreating into a virtual universe can be dangerous. "It highlights the vital necessity of human relationships in the digital age to combat isolation," he says.
Digital isolation
The internet can also be a powerful tool against solitude, for those who can access it.
Despite declining sharply during the Covid crisis, digital isolation – being cut off from online services – is contributing to the loss of social contact.
"While the pandemic may have encouraged and sometimes even 'forced' the use of digital tools among elders, the rate of elderly people who never use the internet has risen from 20 percent in 2021 to 27 percent today," said Quentin Llewellyn of the CSA institute, which carried out the poll.
Some people are sacrificing their internet subscription for financial reasons or fears over cyber security, the CSA observed.
At Photoclimat, painter Bertrand de Miollis focuses on the internet's power to bring people together.
In collaboration with the Afnic Foundation, which strives to expand access to the internet for all, he created works that celebrate examples of people using technology to find community, stay in touch, learn new skills or explore their creativity.
Zoom on optimism
People living at the intersection of poverty and isolation are particularly in need of help, according to French charity Entourage.
"For the 5 million people who are in precarious situations and the 330,000 people without homes, the chances of getting out of their situation are almost zero," the NGO says. "These numbers are only increasing."
It works to promote connections between people who might not necessarily cross paths, in a bid to change the way society sees poverty and social isolation.
Intergenerational living helps relieve isolation for seniors and students
The charity invited Dutch-Croatian photographer Sanja Marusic to take portraits of both volunteers and beneficiaries involved in its social outreach programmes.
She says it was important to inject a touch of fun and colour to the project – to draw out the optimism which can help people feel empowered to make a difference.
"The most important part for me is that there's no hierarchy [in the photos]," she told RFI. "I love that you don't really see who is helping who. It can go both ways."
Photoclimat Biennale is a free, outdoor exhibition in Paris and surrounding suburbs that runs until 12 October.
