"Jules et Pierre se sont bien amusés le weekend dernier."

Question

What is the purpose of the 'bien' in this sentence?
Wouldn't the meaning be exactly the same if it was omitted?

Accepted Answer

Hi Walker,
The addition of 'bien' intensifies the fun element , the difference between a good time and a great time.
Hope this helps!

Answer

They had great fun last weekend.
Would the meaning be the same without "great"?

Answer

Chris: Sorry, I should have quoted the English translation from the page.  It does not utilise the word 'great'.  It just says they 'had fun' which (to have fun) is the base meaning of s'amuser (no bien required).
However, I do understand after reading Cécile's explanation that this is about intensifying the 'fun' element of the meaning, much like the bien in "j'aime bien...," when referring to objects (not people) I suppose.
Many thanks to you both!

Answer

"Much like the bien in 'j'aime bien' emphasises how much you like an object," I meant to say.