I’ve always been iffy about the idea of ‘erogenous zones’. For a start, they sound like something that might land you with a fifty quid fine if you accidentally drive your car through one.

And no-one seems to know how many there are supposed to be. In a famous episode of Friends, Monica schools Chandler that there are precisely seven of these sexually sensitive locations scattered across a woman’s skin – yet I recently attended a talk held by female-focused, sex-positive group Scarlet Ladies where tantric yoga expert Catherine Dunworth stated that there are actually scores more. She believes women can experience over 70 different types of orgasm if these myriad magical, mystical hot spots are skilfully stimulated.

Yup: apparently, there are more classifications of climax and excitable areas of the body than there are Heinz varieties (and only some of them involve ‘flicking your bean’).

But however many possible pleasurable places you believe there are, it’s indisputable that a bit that feels wonderful to one person when tongued or tickled may feel woeful for another. Monica names ‘ears’ as one of her heptad of horny regions, yet I know ladies who’d rather live out that scene in Se7en where Brad Pitt finds his wife’s head in a box than have anyone venture near their lobes.

“Sex tends to be much better if we go in with the assumption that everyone’s body looks different, works differently, feels different, and responds differently,” agree Meg-John and Justin, authors of Enjoy Sex (How, When and If You Want To). “We could even go so far as to say that every single encounter involves a new body, given that the same person’s body – a partner’s or our own – feels different on different occasions.”

Accepting, then, that everybody has idiosyncratic – and constantly evolving – sensual tastes, and given that almost anywhere has the potential to feel good to someone when stimulated, is a list of ‘female erogenous zones and ways to play with them’ truly of use?

The answer is yes, absolutely: so long as you treat it as a suggested menu of sites, touches and techniques to explore, to help you work out what works for you, rather than a definitive set of rules that state ‘Prodding Area X will definitely give you a Big O’.

So, in the spirit of adventure, let’s take a tour of some of the most ‘obvious’ female erogenous zones to discover new ways you may please them – as well as uncovering some more surprising districts where deliciousness could be hiding…

Enter the Moan Zone: A guide to female erogenous zones and ways to make each area feel amazing