“It's true that the French have a certain obsession with sex, but it's a particularly adult obsession. France is the thriftiest of all nations; to a Frenchman sex provides the most economical way to have fun.” - Anita Loos, Hollywood screenwriter and author.

An old trend has found a new audience in Paris, speed dating. In Paris, it is better known as soft or flash dating and while the trend grew up in American bars, the French have put their own twist on it by hosting it in their homes.

Any foreigner visiting the City of Light hoping to meet new people knows how difficult that can be. The French are a people consumed with self-satisfaction and privacy, and they’re not known for being warm and friendly towards strangers. So speed dating, talking to strangers, is what I would call a modern day French Revolution.

Speed dating, created by an American Rabbi named Yaacov Deyo in Los Angeles, California, went global in 1998. However, it was not until 2003 that it began gaining momentum in Paris, particularly for young professionals. Not only has this new way of meeting become à la mode for men and women of all ages, but Parisian singles are also signing up for memberships to dozens of free and low-fee websites that promise them everything, including casual sex.

When I moved to Paris in 1991, I found few options for single people to meet other than through an introduction by friends or family. Moreover, if you were new to Paris with few friends, this created many disadvantages. As I said, the French do not warm to strangers, but also generally, a woman who initiates conversation with men they do not know is thought of as promiscuous. Although Frenchmen are not opposed to women being overtly sexual or who speak publicly about their dalliances - in 2002, French author Catherine Millet published her steamy memoir called The Sexual Life of Catherine M, a graphic novel that shocked and titillated readers globally - they are more comfortable making the first move.

I attended a soft dating session at the palatial apartment of a Madame Sophie Mulot, a single woman in her mid-thirties who worked for France Telecom, in the 6th arrondissement near the trendy cafes and shops of the rue St-André-des-Arts. The dining area was arranged to accommodate seven parties of two, and the tarifs (payment) was paid on the spot. The price depended on the dating "age group" with younger participants paying less than older professionals. Everyone received a nametag and a number, and conversation was limited to 10 minutes each. The tête-à-tête ended at the sound of a small silver bell that sat on a square linen napkin decorated with fleur-de-lys pattern.

The discussion was pleasant, mainly focusing on the jobs each participant held. As the evening progressed and more wine and champagne consumed, things got steamier. The talk turned to veiled questions about the prospective dates’ abilities as lovers. Ding went the bell and the evening was over. Mme. Mulot collected tags and e-mail addresses. We would then be contacted later about the session and possible matches. It was a great evening and a big step for the French in opening up their homes to strangers, albeit, for cash – but a step nonetheless.

This is a huge development from the dating services, catering to the expatriate single, which set up in Paris around 1992. Many establishments were for women only. Some companies were located in the chic 7th and 16th arrondissements, others situated in the backrooms of office buildings, with after hours operating schedules. The services offered, and integrity of the owners, varied as much as the costs. The advertisement was always attractive with ads that read "interesting, handsome, well-educated men, are your ONLY choices!" I found these dating salons as depressing as the men with whom I was "perfectly" matched.

Now the boom in elegant Internet Cafés throughout Paris, and the increasingly busy lifestyles of French professionals, have left many of these antiquated matchmaking salons behind in the pursuit of faster, better ways of linking with others. Even if that connection is made in 10-minute intervals.

Paris, a city where lust is in full bloom every day of the year, fills the heart with optimism - even the single person’s heart. The French are and will always be unabashedly demonstrative when it comes to love, even when it is acquired at high speed.