It has long been a national stereotype, that the French just can't help cheating on their partners. But now a survey has backed that up. According to research, more than half of French men and a third of women have cheated on their partners. And more than a third of all French people would be prepared to cheat if they were sure they wouldn't get caught, according to the study by pollsters Ifop this week. It also found that the amount of unfaithful French partners had more than doubled from 19 per cent in the 1970s to 40 per cent today. A survey has revealed more than a third of all French people would be prepared to cheat if they were sure they wouldn't get caught like President Hollande, pictured here with his partner Valerie Trierweiler . Those most likely to cheat, at 66 per cent, were professional men over 50, and men with left-wing political views at 45 per cent. And 63 per cent of all French people believe it is possible to remain in love with their partner even if he or she has played away, the survey found. It also comes as it is revealed cheating President . Francois Hollande's popularity has soared in France since his affair . with a glamorous actress was made public, a new survey has found. The . philandering French leader's approval rating has leapt to 31 per cent, . up from 26 per cent in October - the lowest level for a French president . in modern times. The BVA . poll was carried out a week after details of 59-year-old Hollande's . secret trysts with Julie Gayet, 41, emerged on January 10. Valerie Trierweiler, 49, has told friends she is prepared to forgive Mr Hollande if he states both publicly and privately that his affair with Ms Gayet is over. The other woman: President Hollande has been accused of having an affair with the actress Julie Gayet, 41 . But Hollande and Gayet are said to be 'deeply in love' and determined to remain together, according to reports in France's Journal du Dimanche newspaper. Ifop researcher Francois Kraus said of their latest survey, commissioned by extramarital dating website Gleeden: 'There's basically much more temptation around now, so people have more partners. 'Women are more present in the working environment so they come into contact with other men, there's technology and social media, meaning people can communicate in private. 'The most interesting statistic is that more than one in three French people say they are prepared to cheat on their partners as long as they were sure they won't be found out. 'We also found that women are much less accepting of 'mistakes' than men.' The Ifop poll is backed by a similar 2013 study by the Pew Research Center which found that the French were among the world's least offended by infidelity. Around 47 per cent of French people reported that infidelity was morally unacceptable, compared to 55 of the British, 60 per cent of Germans, 64 per cent of Spanish, 65 per cent of Italians and 84 per cent of Americans.
Researchers found number of unfaithful French partners is now 40% .
Those most likely to cheat, at 66%, were professional men over 50 .
It follows scandal surrounding President Francois Hollande .
It has long been a national stereotype, that the French just can't help cheating on their partners. But now a survey has backed that up. According to research, more than half of French men and a third of women have cheated on their partners. And more than a third of all French people would be prepared to cheat if they were sure they wouldn't get caught, according to the study by pollsters Ifop this week. It also found that the amount of unfaithful French partners had more than doubled from 19 per cent in the 1970s to 40 per cent today. A survey has revealed more than a third of all French people would be prepared to cheat if they were sure they wouldn't get caught like President Hollande, pictured here with his partner Valerie Trierweiler . Those most likely to cheat, at 66 per cent, were professional men over 50, and men with left-wing political views at 45 per cent. And 63 per cent of all French people believe it is possible to remain in love with their partner even if he or she has played away, the survey found. It also comes as it is revealed cheating President . Francois Hollande's popularity has soared in France since his affair . with a glamorous actress was made public, a new survey has found. The . philandering French leader's approval rating has leapt to 31 per cent, . up from 26 per cent in October - the lowest level for a French president . in modern times. The BVA . poll was carried out a week after details of 59-year-old Hollande's . secret trysts with Julie Gayet, 41, emerged on January 10. Valerie Trierweiler, 49, has told friends she is prepared to forgive Mr Hollande if he states both publicly and privately that his affair with Ms Gayet is over. The other woman: President Hollande has been accused of having an affair with the actress Julie Gayet, 41 . But Hollande and Gayet are said to be 'deeply in love' and determined to remain together, according to reports in France's Journal du Dimanche newspaper. Ifop researcher Francois Kraus said of their latest survey, commissioned by extramarital dating website Gleeden: 'There's basically much more temptation around now, so people have more partners. 'Women are more present in the working environment so they come into contact with other men, there's technology and social media, meaning people can communicate in private. 'The most interesting statistic is that more than one in three French people say they are prepared to cheat on their partners as long as they were sure they won't be found out. 'We also found that women are much less accepting of 'mistakes' than men.' The Ifop poll is backed by a similar 2013 study by the Pew Research Center which found that the French were among the world's least offended by infidelity. Around 47 per cent of French people reported that infidelity was morally unacceptable, compared to 55 of the British, 60 per cent of Germans, 64 per cent of Spanish, 65 per cent of Italians and 84 per cent of Americans.
that the amount of unfaithful French partners had with his partner Valerie Trierweiler . Those most likely to cheat, at 66 per cent, were professional men over 50, and men with left-wing