Avoid asking personal questions relating to one's age, sexual orientation, family or children unless you have a well-established friendship. The French highly value their privacy and the privacy of others. Inquiring about one's salary and finances is taboo.
French people tend not to visit unannounced or uninvited. To do so is considered rude. When invited to a dinner, it is common for guests to ask their hosts if they are required to bring something on the day. Guests may also bring a bottle of wine or dessert.
Entry into France or the mere possession of counterfeit products is prohibited. This is a offense and then you risk a fine and jail time. Counterfeiting concerns all areas. Examples: toys, textiles, medicines, domestic appliances, spare parts, cigarettes, perfumes, cosmetics, software, digital products.
Overall, the older generation still considers money a taboo in France, mainly because it is a tradition. The younger generation seems more open to discussing income – perhaps due to contact with other cultures and foreign people.
It's not a sign of unfriendliness but simply a different way of conducting interactions. French people aren't unhappy or rude, they simply smile a little bit less than Americans tend to expect. In fact, Americans value smiles a lot more than many cultures.
Anti-French sentiment (Francophobia or Gallophobia) is fear or antagonism of France, the French people, French culture, the French government or the Francophonie (set of political entities that use French as an official language or whose French-speaking population is numerically or proportionally large).
It is a minced oath form of the profane sacré dieu, "holy God", which is, by some religions, considered a profanity, due to one of the Ten Commandments in the Bible, which reads "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."
Of Latin origin, the greeting kissing persists in countries where the culture of contact dominates, and this culture is deeply rooted in France. The French still greet each other by touching each other, kissing or shaking hands.
But even in places like France, where people are generally very demonstrative publicly, the intimate kissing and caressing that may be acceptable in Paris is not always going to be tolerated in more rural areas.
In France, saying bonjour in French is a sign of respect and a cultural norm. It's not optional to forgo the greeting if you want people to know that you understand French manners.
Putain (pu-tahn)
Even though its literal meaning is “prostitute”, today “putain” is without a doubt the most used French curse word and is used like English speakers use the F word. You can use it in almost every situation!
For Parisians eye contact is a personal matter, much like your choice of wine, or infidelity in relationships. As a general rule, you have to avoid looking strangers in the eye; it's slightly offensive.
The French people we talked to complained of the British being big-headed, strict and uptight. “They think way too highly of themselves,” said Eric, 63. “Everything shocks them and they are quite moralistic,” said Margaux, 30. Brits were also seen as difficult to get.
A US American described French arrogant behavior by saying: They are seen as feeling superior, snobbish with respect to history, fine wine, their intellectual tradition, that the US lacks.
Monsieur (/məˈsjɜːr/ mə-SYUR; French: [məsjø] ( listen); pl.
4 – Flirting is an Artform in France
It's in our genes and it's socially accepted in France. A Frenchwoman is expected to play her feminine side, and be “admired” for her beauty and wit among other qualities. Frenchmen like to flirt as well, even if they know very well there is no hope of it leading anywhere.
“Je t'aime” means I love you, but “Je t'aime bien” means I kind of like you.
“I think it's a cultural, conversational tic.” As with most conversational tics – like asking how someone is without actually caring to know the answer – complaining in France is above all a means of forging interpersonal connection. And it's an apt one.
During the survey period, it was found that an estimated 4.9 million people in France used Freedent Classique chewing gum.