Even still, if you walk into a shop in the evening and you say bonjour to the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper will normally reply by saying ‘bonsoir’. Usually, ‘bonjour’ is reserved for the first time you meet someone during the day. You Can’t Greet Someone By Saying “bonjour” All The Time This means that the city is very empty in the summer months, apart from tourists, and because a lot of the locals aren’t there, some shops can shut for weeks, or even months. In the big cities such as in Paris, the inhabitants tend to leave and spend the whole summer on holiday. Whilst you may expect hot chocolate to be served in a mug like in other countries, if you order hot chocolate in a café in France, don’t be surprised if they serve you it in a bowl! This is simply a tradition in France, and it has many benefits, including the fact that the drink will cool down faster as it has a larger surface area, and also it’s more convenient for dipping!
A typical French goûter, or quatre-heures. This meal tends to consist of a sweet treat such as a cake or tart, and is usually eaten in the late afternoon. However, there is also a fourth meal known as ‘L’heure du goûter’ (Literally ‘Tasting time’) or ‘Le quatre-heures’ (‘4 O Clock’)’. In France, like in other countries, the main meals are breakfast, lunch and dinner. 10 Things The French Do That Foreigners Don’t Understand The French Eat Four Meals A Day It’s also very common to address people you don’t know using ‘monsieur,’ and ‘madame,’ something that, when directly translated to English, sounds very archaic! Equally, the French use the formal ‘vous’ for the majority of people they either don’t know, or those who are older than them or somehow superior to you, and with most people at the place of work. It is also not always the case in other countries. This politeness is definitely not what is displayed in the stereotype, especially the stereotype of Parisians. Similarly, French people will wish you ‘bon appétit’ if you are eating outside on a terrace. For example, if you are in a lift with a French person, or if you pass them in a corridor in your apartment block, they will always say hello. On the whole, French people are very polite. And if you don’t know how many times to do it, just copy others and hope for the best! The French Are Polite! (sometimes Too Polite!) Whilst you are in France, it’s better just to ‘faire la bise’ and avoid all awkwardness and discomfort. They have been established for a long time and do not change.įrench people tend to feel quite uncomfortable if you hug them, even if it’s people that you know well. These regional cultures originated from traditions that vary from village to village. Moreover, in some places in France you only do one kiss, and other places you have to do as many as four kisses! There is no reasoning behind the number of kisses in each region. As a rule of thumb, if you are greeting someone that you don’t know, you should shake their hand, but with acquaintances and friends your own age, you should ‘faire la bise’.ĭifferent regions of France ‘faire la bise’ in different ways, so be careful not to get caught out if you travel to other parts of the country! Usually in the south you must kiss three times instead of the classic two times (one on each side) in the north.
Generally, this refers to the way in which French people say hello and goodbye to each other by kissing each other on each cheek. ‘ Faire la bise’ translated literally means ‘to give a kiss’. We’ve compiled our favourite quirks and the ones we still just don’t get: here are our top 10 things to watch out for whilst in France!įind out what the 10 things the French do that foreigners don’t understand are:ġ0 Things The French Do That Foreigners Don’t Understand ‘faire La Bise’ Whilst we definitely don’t agree with the overall assessment made of the French, there are certainly aspects of the stereotypes that prove to be true. Known as lazy, arrogant and romantic all at the same time, French people have lots of habits that will surprise foreigners. Each country has its own traditions, culture, and personality, and France is just the same.
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