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 every three years during the summer, aim to document 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 questionnaire among 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 it involves an organized emergency response followed by hospital care (visit to the emergency room, hospitalization) or death. In 2021, the ninth edition of the NOYADES survey recorded 1,480 accidental drownings, 27% of which resulted in death. Accidental drownings overall were more common among the youngest and oldest age groups, while those resulting in death were more common among the oldest: children under 6 accounted for 22% of accidental drownings and 6% of deaths, compared to 26% and 41%, respectively, among people aged 65 and older. Regarding the locations where drownings occurred, 47% of accidental drownings took place at sea, 26% in swimming pools of all types, 23% 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 44%, 15%, 39%, and 2%, respectively. The proportion of fatalities is higher for drownings occurring in bodies of water (49%) and in rivers and streams (41%), whereas it is 25% at sea, 15% in swimming pools of all types, and 14% in other locations. Drownings in swimming pools primarily involved young children, while drownings at sea primarily involved older adults. Men are more frequently victims of drowning accidents than women. Compared to the previous NOYADES survey conducted in 2018, the number of accidental drownings in 2021 was lower, most likely due to weather conditions less favorable for swimming. Accidental drownings occur in all locations and affect all age groups. The results of the NOYADES surveys, which have no international equivalent in terms of content and longevity, underscore the need to continue efforts to prevent drowning at all ages, among both the youngest and the oldest.