Hugging in France Unlike Americans, the French do not use hugging as a greeting. Instead, they kiss cheeks (faire la bise) informally and shake hands in formal settings. Because they are not given often, hugs tend to make French people uncomfortable and can easily seem like an invasion of personal space.
Faire un câlin = to hug, in a tender way. Un câlin = a hug, a cuddle.
Public displays of affection in France
People kiss acquaintances when they meet them in the street and you even shake hand with the plumber when he comes to fix your leaky pipe: the French are definitely touchy-feely. So, in Paris (and other major cities) anything goes; elsewhere, be more restrained.
Public displays of affection (PDA) aren't a taboo in France. Couples hold hands, hug, and kiss regularly. Perhaps this is the reason why the reputation for French romantic freedom is so widespread.
La bise, as the customary double cheek kiss is known, is so deeply entrenched in French life that it is deployed as casually as a handshake. Everytime you meet a French person, you have to greet her. On top of a simple « Bonjour », you'll kiss (faire la bise) or shake her hand (serrer la main).
The French have an undeniable reputation when it comes to love and sex. They are passionate, enticing and simply irresistible. French people have a way with words and actions that's all about love. And when it comes to displaying their fairness in bed, they are said to be absolute sex gods!
French kisses can be more stimulating than kisses without the tongue since the lips, tongue, and other parts of the mouth are powerful erogenous zones that contribute to sexual arousal.
Hugging in France
The French very rarely hug. In France, hugs are not a part of daily life. Unlike Americans, the French do not use hugging as a greeting. Instead, they kiss cheeks (faire la bise) informally and shake hands in formal settings.
Expect Lots of Flirting
But whether you're single or not, in France, there is plenty of flirting regardless of marital status. To both sides, flirting is an art form. So you're going to see it thrown around a lot.
While there are many explanations for this reputation of the French being excellent sexual partners, it remains very subjective to say whether the reputation is justified. The French are not “technically superior” in bed, insists Perel, but “they are more comfortable in relationships …
Physical Contact: Touching during a conversation is accepted and considered a sign of affection only once you have reached a degree of familiarity. Young people will often engage in public displays of affection, such as embracing or kissing.
It is true that in France, faire la bise is firmly anchored in the habits of the French, and… we kiss each other all day long: it is a must ritual! More than a tradition, it's a habit and even a reflex.
A 2017 study of 15,000 people around the world found that French is considered the most sexy accent followed by Italian. Other studies have found that Australian and Scottish accents are considered the sexiest. Meanwhile, French people generally report that British and Spanish people sound sexiest when speaking French.
Draguer - to flirt. If you fancy trying your hand at the French dating scene, draguer is the perfect word, it means flirting with or hitting on someone. You can decide to be upfront about it and say it directly to the person you fancy. Oui je te drague - Yes, I'm hitting on you.
The reason behind these differences remains unknown. One respondent remarked that the custom of three kisses appeared more prevalent in the area roughly corresponding to 17th-century Protestant France, and that it could have been a way of recognising those of the same faith (three being a sign of the Trinity).
In Paris, as well as in some other major cities like Bordeaux and Toulouse, two kisses are the norm. In the South, particularly near Marseille and Montpellier, as well as in the North, near Lille, people have a preference for three kisses. In western France, meanwhile, near Nantes, four kisses are given (that's a lot!)
The French don't have to say it, either. They are happy to communicate their feelings with hugs, cuddles and kisses wherever and whenever they feel the need to express love. There is no debate about public displays of affection in France, where PDAs are celebrated as a fortunate consequence of love.
In France and other countries, however, the kiss is more common – not on the lips, but a symmetrical brush of the cheeks. The image is well known in world culture and is a part of everyday life in much of Europe, but the ritual can seem impenetrable to the uninitiated.
The Body Language of Dating
When it finally is, permission is usually asked first. The first kiss is important, as it carries a lot more significance than in other countries. In France, a kiss on the lips is seen as an agreement to entering into an exclusive relationship.
Examples of physical intimacy include being inside someone's personal space, holding hands, hugging, kissing, caressing and sexual activity. Physical intimacy can often convey the real meaning or intention of an interaction in a way that accompanying speech cannot do.
Sharing a caress within a hug makes it romantic. It can also be a sign of comfort for someone upset but usually involves a gentle rubbing of the head or arm. When this caress is made on the lower back or chest, it is likely romantic in nature.
FRENCH KISS
One of the most passionate ways to kiss, a French kiss tops the list of kisses! An intimate and erotic move, it is surely to set your partner's mood for some romance. Start by tilting in and locking your partner's lips with yours.
A soft, smooth, and slightly moist mouth is ideal for kissing. Before you move in, you should make sure your lips aren't chapped or dry so your partner isn't distracted or put off by the state of your lips.
When a man kisses you with their tongue, it means that they are head over heels for you. There is nothing that excites them anymore except for you. A French kiss is a sign of attraction and desire and if he kisses you with so much passion, he sure wants you.