OBJECTIVES: Estimate the prevalence and the quality of life of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in the French population 18 years of age or older. METHODS: A population-based survey was conducted among 10,000 adults through face to face interviews by using the quota sampling method (on age, sex, geographical living area, economic working class and woman working status). The screening was made with the 4 International RLS Study Group (IRLSSG) criteria. Quality of life was assessed with the SF-36 questionnaire among subjects suffering from RLS and a control group of 540 subjects randomly selected among the global sample. RESULTS: The population surveyed was representative of the French population. The lifetime prevalence of RLS (at least one symptom episode in past life) was estimated: 9.2%, IC95% = [8.3%; 10.2%]. The annual prevalence of RLS (at least one symptom episode in the past year) was estimated: 8.7%, IC95% = [7.7%; 9.6%]. Among RLS population, the sex ratio women to men was 2 to 1 and the mean age at the time of the study was 48.5 years versus 46.5 years in the control group. After adjustment on age and sex, all quality of life dimensions were worse in the RLS population than in the control group: Physical Functioning: 82.7 vs. 87.2 (p <0.001); Role Functioning: 74.4 vs. 84.6 (p <0.001); Bodily Pain: 63.7 vs. 75.1 (p <0.001); General Health: 62.7 vs. 69.6 (p <0.001); Vitality: 53.4 vs. 59.6 (p<0.001); · Social Functioning: 77.9 vs. 85.2 (p<0.001); Reported Health Transition: 75.0 vs. 84.0 (p <0.001); Mental Health: 62.3 vs. 68.3 (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: RLS is a frequent disease, it affects 9% of the French adult population. This prevalence is consistent with the findings of studies from other countries. RLS has a significant impact on quality of life, as measured by the SF-36 questionnaire.