Call France's laughter hotline to cheer yourself up for free
A unique telephone service offers instant laughter therapy, to promote mental and physical health
Fabrice Loizeau with members of Institut Français du Yoga de Rire
Institut Français du Yoga de Rire
A hotline for laughter, named the appel du rire, has been created to give callers an instant lift when they need it.
Ringing 02 72 03 50 51 will connect to a volunteer, who asks the caller if they are ready to laugh. No other words need to be spoken – they simply start laughing and encourage callers to join in.
“The number is for everyone and it is free for everyone. We have nothing to sell: it is not a commercial service, it is a human service,” Fabrice Loizeau, 58, director of the Institut Français du Yoga de Rire, told The Connexion.
Though the concept may seem strange, the launch of the laughter hotline has so far been very successful, with hundreds of calls every hour according to Mr Loizeau.
“We have been totally overwhelmed – a pleasant surprise,” he said.
Read more: Funny you should say that – the language of French laughter
The 30 or so volunteers manning the phone lines are trained laughter yoga instructors – a movement based around laughter and playfulness, yogic breath-work, and mindfulness.
The line is currently open on weekdays between 10:00 and 12:30 and then from 14:00 to 18:00.
There are imminent plans to extend the number of volunteers, as well as to open on weekends.
Mr Loizeau was told about the concept by a German colleague, and quickly decided that France should also have a free laughter number.
Read more: Why you need to unlock the puzzle of French humour
You're having a laugh
Laughing has been scientifically proven to benefit both physical and mental health.
“If you are laughing, you are not thinking about your problems in life,” said Mr Loizeau. “On top of that, your body relaxes while you laugh.”
Client feedback so far shows the reason for calling is very simple: people want to laugh.
“We’ve been told it is a lovely break. We have had a group of elderly people calling because they want to laugh with their friends, companies calling before or after a business meeting, and families because they just want a bit of fun,” said Mr Loizeau.
“For us at the Institut, it is simply the opportunity to share a smile, some laughter, and a good mood in people’s everyday life. It only takes us a few minutes – if we can do it, we will.”
