Les mobilités nocturnes et leurs évolutions (1981-2018) : des pratiques qui restent rares et socialement situées

Since the 1980s, mobility, especially at night, has undergone major social changes, which, according to various observers, are tending towards a “colonization” of the night. The analysis of daily nocturnal mobility presented here allows us to discuss the theories of the colonization of the night and to understand the logics of social stratification, if they exist. Is nighttime mobility spreading? Who are the French people who move around at night? Has their face changed over the last few decades?In order to answer such questions, the article uses the series of national transport surveys conducted by INSEE (1981, 1992, 2007 and 2018). Our analyses show that the daily mobility of the French presents strong and durable structures. Since the 1980s, nighttime travel has been relatively rare and shows a tripartition of the night.While the vast majority of French people do not travel at night, the chances of moving at night do not appear to be homogeneous in social space: going to work at dusk or dawn is typical of the working classes (workers, employees), while coming home late from work or going out for leisure is much more common among executives. Rather than a colonization of the night, this article shows a polarization of the uses and practices of the night - which remains, however, first and foremost, the time for sleep.