Sexy accent? It’s hard to beat the English (and so say the French)

BRITISH holidaymakers in France might be encouraged to strike up a conversation with the locals this summer when they learn that, to French ears, theirs is the second sexiest foreign accent after Italian.

And to help those lacking confidence or whose French has not been put to use since school days, it seems that our Gallic neighbours find even our little mistakes endearing.

In a survey published by Le Parisien newspaper, 23 per cent of respondents said they judged English speakers to have the accent with the most sex appeal, compared to 40 per cent who prefer the lilting charm of the Italians.

The Spanish were in third place on 18 per cent, but only three per cent thought Germans sounded sexy.

Although it dates back to 1960, the French have not forgotten the charm of Jean Seberg, the American actress who appeared alongside Jean-paul Belmondo in the film Breathless. Her accent apparently became iconic in as a symbol of “Anglo-saxon” sex appeal.

Hélène Gicquel, 34, a student from Nantes, said she found the English accent the most charming.

“It makes me think of Jane Birkin [the English actress and singer]. There are also all those irresistible little mistakes the British make between masculine and feminine words [when speaking French].”

The survey also reveals that, outside France, the “melodious” accent of français is considered the sexiest, with Italian second. The appeal of French is explained by its soft consonants and accentuated vowels, according to language

‘There are those irresistible little mistakes the British make between masculine and feminine words’

experts. Emer Corrigan, of the Babbel language learning app, said: “The sounds are easy to listen to. The language of Molière sounds like a melody to the ears of foreigners, which is why they like it so much.”

He added: “When foreigners hear French, they imagine Catherine Deneuve, gastronomy and monuments.”

While older French people are often reluctant to speak English, it is much more common among the youth.

English is by far the most widely spoken foreign language in France, where most people grew up listening to English and American music and watching Hollywood films.

Italy remains a favoured destination for French holidaymakers, who hold its art, wines and cuisine in high esteem.

But London is where young French people flock to work and often to play as they love the capital’s vibrant, cosmopolitan nightlife. And if their Gallic pronunciation enhances their sex appeal, that is an added bonus.