As part of a European project on Hot Fractured Rock (HFR) held at Soultz-sous-Forets within the Rhine graben (France), a preliminary analysis was made of HFR resources in Europe, in terms of geodynamical context. The major HFR criteria (temperature, fracture system, in situ stress) are presented, with the Soultz site as a reference HFR site. Based on the temperature distribution estimated at 5 km, the available geological data and geothermal inventories, the most favourable zones in Europe were delineated. The major HFR continental resources in Europe are related to the evolution of the Alpine system. The peri-Alpine rift system, which represents the first type of interesting HFR structure, corresponds geologically to Tertiary grabens (Rhine graben, Eger graben, Catalonia) and the peri-Alpine foreland (Molassic basin). The second main type of interesting HFR zone is located inside the Alpine belt and corresponds to complex back-arc basins (Pannonian basin, Tuscany area). A synthetic litho-tectonic map of Europe that takes into account this typology is presented here (1:4,000,000 scale). (C) 2003 CNR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.