The French and Their Perceptions in 2024 - Xlovecam

November 2024

Key Findings

This study explores French people’s aesthetic preferences regarding public figures from various fields: sports, cinema, television and music. The results reveal significant differences according to gender, age and socio-professional status. These trends highlight the cultural and social influences that shape people’s preferences.

Strongly gendered preferences:

Men tend to favor female figures considered attractive in the fields of cinema and television.
Women, on the other hand, show greater diversity in their choices, valuing physical appearance as well as traits perceived as “charming” or “charismatic”.

The impact of age

Young adults (18–34) prefer contemporary figures who are influential on social media.
Older generations (50+) tend to favor more established personalities, often associated with their own generation.

The French and their relationship with attractiveness

Attractiveness criteria (by category)

Florent Manaudou is a charismatic figure who appeals equally to men and women, transcending gender differences thanks to his universal image.

Women tend to favor figures associated with strength and performance, such as Tony Yoka and Teddy Riner.

Younger generations prefer modern figures such as Antoine Griezmann and Charles Leclerc, while older generations favor established athletes such as Kevin Mayer.

Male and female celebrities considered the sexiest in 2024, by category

Male actors

Preferences are strongly influenced by age and gender:

Men and older generations favor classic figures such as Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo.
Younger people and women show a marked preference for modern figures such as François Civil and Tahar Rahim.
A clear generational divide can be seen, highlighting the role of cultural references in shaping preferences.

Female actresses

The women surveyed place greater value on “talented” actresses associated with memorable roles in French or international cinema.

Musicians and singers

This category reveals the greatest diversity, with younger people favoring contemporary pop and rap artists, while older generations prefer classic or folk singers.

Television personalities

A clear difference emerges according to age. People aged 18–34 tend to favor influential personalities from popular culture, while those aged 50+ prefer authority figures or well-established TV presenters.

Comparison of preferences: female and male personalities

Michou and Léna Situations stand out spectacularly among 18–34-year-olds, with more than 80% of the votes, far ahead of other personalities. This result can be explained by the popularity they have gained on digital platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, where they embody a young, dynamic and approachable image. This highly connected generation, strongly influenced by social media, sees them as figures who represent its culture.

A strong cultural connection between Dany Boon and 35–49-year-olds

Dany Boon, an iconic comedian and actor, is particularly popular among 35–49-year-olds (33%). This age group shares a cultural history with his work, such as Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis, which has left a lasting mark on the French cinematic landscape.

People aged 50 and over favor established figures from traditional media, such as Anne-Elisabeth Lemoine (57%) and Anne-Claire Coudray (35%). Among male celebrities, Laurent Ruquier is also popular with a large proportion of this age group (51%).

GENERAL TRENDS

The study results reveal a France divided between an attraction to modern influences (social media, new celebrities) and loyalty to traditional media figures. This duality illustrates a cultural transition in which the preferences of younger generations are redefining standards of public attractiveness. However, the biggest winners remain cross-generational personalities who are able to appeal to both younger and older audiences, thereby transcending age divides.

A study led by:
Audrey Mandefield, Senior Account Manager
Pauline Poché, Insights Team Leader

Download the full study

TO CITE THIS STUDY, AT LEAST THE FOLLOWING WORDING MUST BE USED

“Discurv study for XLoveCam conducted through a self-administered online questionnaire in November 2024 among a sample of 1,000 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over.”