At 68 years old, Fabien Onteniente lives separately from his wife Nathalie Dupuis. Each has their own apartment in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. The “sleep divorce” is a choice that the Camping director justified to Libération on Monday, May 18, 2026.
The happiness of two does not necessarily imply sharing the same bed or even the same floor. Fabien Onteniente, the director of Camping, and his wife Nathalie Dupuis, a journalist, each have their own apartment. Their common point? Both live just steps away from Place Maubert in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, as the filmmaker revealed to Libération on May 18, 2026.
Fabien Onteniente has long appreciated the 5th arrondissement. With cinemas on Rue des Écoles and bookstores on every corner, he settled here in the 80s even before achieving success. His career was built on popular comedies like Jet Set in 1999 and especially Camping in 2006, which remains his biggest box office success to this day with 5 million admissions.
The “sleep divorce” is a trend that also appeals to other celebrities. In 1987, he married actress Souad Amidou, with whom he had a son, Enzo. The couple separated in 1991. He remarried in December 2002 to Elsa Wolinski, daughter of the cartoonist Georges Wolinski. Then, in 2018, he married Nathalie Dupuis. Today, he justifies living separately: “If I get up in the middle of the night to write, I don’t want to hear, ‘What are you doing?'” he told Libération.
Fabien Onteniente and Nathalie Dupuis are not alone in the world of celebrities. Jean-Jacques Debout and Chantal Goya are a long-lasting example. After nearly 60 years together, the composer revealed to Ici Paris magazine in 2024: “We’ve had separate bedrooms from the start.” Laurent Voulzy and writer Isaure Le Faou have also opted to live separately since meeting in 2018. “When we reunite, it’s almost like a celebration,” summarized the singer’s partner to Gala.fr. Another example is Thierry Ardisson and Audrey Crespo-Mara. These cases show that lasting love sometimes involves multiple addresses and/or bedrooms.
By Louise Martin, Editor Louise Martin is a TV enthusiast who enjoys baking in her spare time but is unlikely to win the blue apron! She is well-versed in social media, knowing all the latest trends and shows like Koh Lanta, Les Marseillais, and Married at First Sight.
