A large nationwide postal survey was conducted to estimate the prevalence of chronic pain with or without neuropathic characteristics in the French general population. The study involved 30,155 participants, with 23,712 questionnaires assessed. The results showed that 31.7% of respondents reported chronic daily pain for more than three months, with 19.9% experiencing moderate to severe pain. Among those with chronic pain, 6.9% had neuropathic characteristics, with 5.1% experiencing moderate to severe pain. Neuropathic characteristics were more common in middle-aged individuals, manual workers, and those living in rural areas. These characteristics were frequently located in the lower limbs and were associated with higher intensity and duration compared to non-neuropathic pain. The study highlights that neuropathic pain is a significant health issue, with distinct socio-demographic and clinical features. The DN4 questionnaire was validated for identifying neuropathic pain characteristics, showing good discriminative properties. The findings indicate that neuropathic pain is prevalent in the general population, with a specific profile that warrants further research and attention. The study underscores the importance of understanding and addressing neuropathic pain in clinical practice and public health.A large nationwide postal survey was conducted to estimate the prevalence of chronic pain with or without neuropathic characteristics in the French general population. The study involved 30,155 participants, with 23,712 questionnaires assessed. The results showed that 31.7% of respondents reported chronic daily pain for more than three months, with 19.9% experiencing moderate to severe pain. Among those with chronic pain, 6.9% had neuropathic characteristics, with 5.1% experiencing moderate to severe pain. Neuropathic characteristics were more common in middle-aged individuals, manual workers, and those living in rural areas. These characteristics were frequently located in the lower limbs and were associated with higher intensity and duration compared to non-neuropathic pain. The study highlights that neuropathic pain is a significant health issue, with distinct socio-demographic and clinical features. The DN4 questionnaire was validated for identifying neuropathic pain characteristics, showing good discriminative properties. The findings indicate that neuropathic pain is prevalent in the general population, with a specific profile that warrants further research and attention. The study underscores the importance of understanding and addressing neuropathic pain in clinical practice and public health.