Frenchisms

Like the people of any culture, the French

have their quirks. Whether it be the way in 

which they eat, behave, or express themselves, the French

have a certain flair about them in whatever they do. That said, my use of 

"flair" is not intended to be condescending or pejorative; instead, it

is meant to signify a certain style or originality that the French have, 

a je ne sais quoi that defines their approach and actions. 

The list below attempts to shed light on some of the Parisians'

quirks and mannerisms with the goal of painting 

a better picture of what it means to be français. 

It is a compilation of what I have observed over the

course of living in Paris for a total of 8 months. That said, I know

that this list draws exclusively from my personal experience

and could be different if I had interacted with other French people

or come from a different culture. 

Nonetheless, I invite you to read my list to see how it

is similar and/or different to your view of the French. 

And if it is one of the two, ask yourself why....

Behavior Mannerisms

1. The French greet and say goodbye to one another by doing the bis, or kissing each other on both cheeks. You are expected to do this when you meet someone new, and if you arrive at a dinner party, you may be expected to do it 5-10 times in a row. You always kiss the person's right cheek, as to avoid a full-on kiss; your cheeks only brush theirs, but you still air-kiss and make a puckering sound. You would only kiss the cheeks if it was someone that you knew well or were dating/married to. 

2. If you say something and the French agree with you, they will often say, oui, or yes. However, sometimes the French will gulp in a little bit of air, make a sound that could be described as "aghast," and then say "oui" in a whisper. If only I had a video of that, the explication would be much more clearer!

3. The French use colloquial expressions when chatting such as du coup, which is an informal combination of "as a result/so"; bref, which is used after the end of long explanation as means to change the subject (direct translation = brief); bha is the sound the French make when they don't know something (think of it like the English "ugh"); ouais is used as a form of "yeah"; pigé is what you say afterwards to show that you understand, but it is used in a very, informal sense. 

4. Interestingly enough, the French now incorporate quite a few English words when they speak, such as "Bye"; "Let's go"; "Yes"; and almost all 21st century English tech and business terms such as "business"; "Ipod"; "management"; "consulting" remain the same in French.

5. The French are some of the fastest walkers on the planet.

6. The French have an opinion on everything and like to share it with you. And almost everyone has an opinion on the U.S. and French presidential elections.

7. "Oh la la" is used not necessarily to express joy or happiness, but rather to express shock or disbelief after a story is told.

8. You always say hello and good-bye to the people in the elevator and to the employee in the store that you are in. 

Food and Drink Quirks

1. Whipped cream is served as a dessert. With nothing else.

2. Picard is a very popular food store that only serves frozen food.

3. Nicolas is a nice, wine-chain that is found on every other block in Paris.

4. The French only refrigerate their milk once it is opened; before that, it is stored in a cupboard.

5. Food and drink is never eaten on the go and in the street. #soamericaine 

6. The French really do carry baguettes with them when they walk back home for dinner.

7. Meat is usually always red and bloody, but the French refer to that as "bleu" meat.

8. A French person can distinguish a Bordeaux from a Burgundy.

9. The French do not snack in between meals. Period.

Living

1. The French do not usually have air conditioning. 

2. If the French have a car, it is tiny.

3. Since rent is so expensive, the French often rent out a free room.