February 2025
This new study follows on from previous surveys conducted by Discurv for Xlovecam on French people’s sexual fantasies.
Having sex in an exotic location is the number one fantasy among French people: two-thirds say it is one of their fantasies. Being woken up with sex is the second most common fantasy, appealing to nearly 1 in 2 people.
On average, French people report having 6 fantasies from among those suggested.
Swimming pools/hot tubs, deserted beaches and cars are the three locations French people fantasize about the most: 7 in 10 have already fantasized about having sex in these places. Forests and kitchens come next, with two-thirds of French people fantasizing about them.
On average, French people have fantasized about 7 of the locations listed. By contrast, only 1 in 10 French people has ever imagined having sex in a place of worship or religious setting, making it by far the least frequently mentioned location.
Fantasies are less divisive when it comes to types of people or professions. Nurses remain the number one fantasy, with 46% of French people saying they have already fantasized about someone in this profession. They are followed by the classic fantasies involving flight attendants and neighbors.
Family members such as in-laws or brothers- and sisters-in-law have been the subject of fantasies for fewer than 1 in 5 French people, as have plumbers and bodybuilders.
On average, French people report having fantasized about around 6 of these types of people.
More broadly, 1 in 4 French people feels at least somewhat ashamed of their fantasies. Fantasies can arise at different moments in everyday life, including outside sexual activity. One-third think about them at random moments during the day, while another third think about their fantasies while masturbating.
When it comes to their partner, one-third of French people would feel very or extremely comfortable discussing their fantasies with them. More than half have also thought about someone else while having sex with their partner.
French people’s sexual fantasies are highly diverse, with respondents reporting an average of 6 fantasies, while showing clear preferences for certain themes. Among the most common fantasies, having sex in an exotic location comes first, with two-thirds of French people saying they fantasize about it. Other scenarios, such as being woken up with sex, appeal to nearly half of respondents. More daring practices, such as role-playing or sex with multiple partners, are present in the imagination of one-third of French people but appear less frequently among their fantasies.
When it comes to locations, there is a clear attraction to private settings outside everyday life. Swimming pools, hot tubs, deserted beaches and cars are among the most fantasized-about locations. These settings evoke a combination of sensuality and transgression, two recurring themes in the collective imagination. In contrast, more transgressive locations, such as places of worship or public restrooms, are significantly less popular, highlighting certain boundaries in the desires expressed.
When it comes to people and professions, fantasies tend to focus on classic and symbolic figures. Nurses take first place, with 46% of respondents having fantasized about them, followed by flight attendants and neighbors. In contrast, family members such as in-laws or brothers- and sisters-in-law, as well as less romanticized professions such as plumbers, inspire less desire, reflecting certain moral and cultural boundaries in the French erotic imagination.
From an emotional perspective, 1 in 4 French people admits to feeling some degree of shame about their fantasies. However, fantasies appear to provide an important private outlet, with one-third of participants saying they think about them at random moments during the day or during masturbation. Overall, French people think about their fantasies both during and outside sexual activity. Half have also imagined being with someone else while intimate with their partner, highlighting the important role fantasies play in their inner lives.
Men vs. women: enduring stereotypes
Differences between men and women can be seen in both the nature and intensity of their fantasies. Men report a wider range, with an average of 7.1 fantasies compared with 4.9 among women, and are significantly more attracted to scenarios involving public places, celebrities (39%) or domination (39%). Women, on the other hand, tend to prefer more intimate fantasies, such as being woken up with sex (38%).
The most fantasized-about locations vary less between genders. While both men and women are attracted to cars and beaches, men are more likely than women to fantasize about forests and kitchens. The classic nurse fantasy remains particularly popular among men, as do fantasies involving neighbors, flight attendants and secretaries. Women, meanwhile, keep the firefighter fantasy alive, with nearly half saying they fantasize about firefighters.
Similar fantasies among working professionals
Managers and employees/manual workers stand out for having a richer-than-average imagination, with an average of 6.8 fantasies among managers and 6.7 among employees and manual workers. Managers are more likely to fantasize about scenarios involving multiple partners or voyeuristic practices, while employees and manual workers are more likely to fantasize about domination or filming themselves.
Cars and kitchens are more popular fantasy locations among employees and manual workers, while two-thirds of managers have already dreamed about having sex in their workplace. Managers tend to have fairly traditional fantasies when it comes to people and professions, whereas employees and manual workers are more likely to fantasize about uniformed professions such as firefighters, police officers or military personnel.
Urban and rural residents share similar fantasies
Where people live ultimately has relatively little impact on their fantasies, whether experienced or imagined. Rural residents are, however, less inclined toward partner-swapping and non-consensual scenarios than urban residents.
Couples remain close to the national average
There are relatively few differences between people in relationships and the rest of the French population when it comes to fantasies. Singles, however, are more likely than average to fantasize about sex with a stranger, a celebrity or multiple partners. They are also more likely to fantasize about particular people or professions, such as nurses, flight attendants, neighbors, police officers or military personnel.
Younger people are more adventurous
Young people show greater imagination and boldness in their fantasies than older generations, with higher average numbers of fantasies and fantasized-about locations. They are more likely to explore modern practices such as bondage or being filmed.
Older people, meanwhile, have more traditional fantasies and location preferences, although they are more likely than the French population as a whole to fantasize about adultery. Interestingly, although they think about fantasies less often than younger people, older people feel less ashamed of them, possibly because younger people’s fantasies tend to be more adventurous.
The recurring North–South divide
The North–South divide also appears in French people’s relationship with fantasies. Northern regions tend to show less interest in the different fantasies, with the notable exception of Île-de-France. Residents of the Paris region display particularly varied fantasies compared with the national average. They are especially attracted to role-playing, sports coaches and domination. One-third fantasize about filming themselves, while one-quarter fantasize about their babysitter, manager/boss or cheating on their partner.
In Hauts-de-France, submission-related fantasies are more common, while residents of Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire are more likely to fantasize about adultery.
In the South, residents generally report more fantasies than the national average, with Occitanie leading the way. Cinemas and workplaces are particularly popular fantasy locations there, with half of Occitanie residents fantasizing about them. Notably, one-quarter of residents say they have fantasized about a brother- or sister-in-law, twice the national average.
In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, flight attendants and public gardens feature prominently in fantasies, while residents of Nouvelle-Aquitaine show a stronger preference for trains and airplanes. The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region, despite showing less diversity in fantasies than the rest of southern France, remains true to its Mediterranean character, with 8 in 10 residents fantasizing about swimming pools and hot tubs.
A study led by:
Audrey Mandefield, Senior Account Manager
Pauline Poché, Insights Team Leader
TO CITE THIS STUDY, AT LEAST THE FOLLOWING WORDING MUST BE USED
“Discurv study for XLoveCam conducted through a self-administered online questionnaire in December 2023 among a sample of 1,000 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over.”