In France, accidental drownings account for approximately 1,000 deaths each year (including about 400 during the summer months), making them the leading cause of accidental death among people under 25. Yet most of these drownings are preventable. To implement preventive measures aimed at reducing the frequency of these accidents, Santé publique France has been conducting regular drowning surveys since 2003. These surveys, carried out during the summer, aim to identify all drowning incidents (whether accidental or not, and whether resulting in death or not) and to describe the characteristics of the victims and certain circumstances surrounding the incidents for prevention purposes. The NOYADES survey is conducted via a questionnaire administered to organized emergency services (fire departments, Samu-Smur, etc.) from June 1 to September 30 in metropolitan France and overseas territories. A drowning is recorded if there is an intervention by an organized emergency service followed by hospital care (visit to the emergency room, hospitalization) or death. In 2018, the NOYADES survey recorded 1,649 accidental drownings (84% of all drownings), with 25% of these resulting in death. Non-fatal drownings were more common among younger people, while those resulting in death were more common among older people: children under 6 accounted for 28% of accidental drownings and 9% of deaths, compared to 22% and 35%, respectively, among people aged 65 and older; 44% of accidental drownings occurred in the sea, 30% in swimming pools of all types, 22% in rivers or bodies of water, and 4% in other locations (bathtubs, ponds, etc.), with fatal drownings—i.e., those resulting in death—accounting for 40%, 17%, 40%, and 3%, respectively. Drownings in swimming pools primarily involved young children, drownings in rivers and bodies of water primarily involved young adults, and drownings at sea primarily involved older adults. Men are more often victims of drowning accidents than women. Compared to previous NOYADES surveys conducted between 2003 and 2015, the number of accidental drownings in 2018 was higher. The heatwave during the summer of 2018 likely led to an increase in swimming activity and thus the risk of drowning. Accidental drownings occur in all locations and affect people of all ages. The results of the NOYADES surveys, which have no international equivalent in terms of describing the circumstances, underscore the need to continue efforts to prevent drowning at all ages, among both the youngest and the oldest.