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‘Ditch the granny nighties’: Three tips on how to love like a French woman

London-based French blogger Muriel Demarcus offers some tips for how to love like a like a French woman. WARNING: You might have to change your nightwear.

Published: 20 September 2017 12:00 CEST

'Ditch the granny nighties': Three tips on how to love like a French woman

Jean-François Gornet/Flickr

1. It’s not over until it’s over

French women can love and be in love at any age. Compared to our British counterparts, we never stop being and feeling loveable, while in London, it sometimes feels like women shut it down the second they become moms.

There is a lot of pressure, after becoming a mother, to become an all-sacrificing maternal figure. And if you don’t, shame on you, because you will be considered a narcissistic MILF.

But we French women don’t fall into such stereotypes because we don’t make children the centre of our universe. Truth be told, this is partly because we get a lot of help from the state: childcare is virtually free (or very cheap) and we are even offered sessions to “re-educate” the perineum.

In short, we have no excuse but to get our pre-baby mojo as fast as possible, so we do.

2. Ditch the granny nighties and the socks before going to bed

I am not saying that we women should be perfectly groomed all the time. Frankly, it would be a full-time job (at least for me).

I am just saying this: I don’t know how some British blokes manage to still fancy their partner when their wear granny nighties, socks, and sometimes hair rollers. If I were a man, it would put me off sex for a year.

It’s not a sexist comment, it’s just that if you are going to invite yourself into the life of your partner, then you need to make an effort. If in doubt, sleep naked.

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3. Just relax and go with the flow

Why does everybody need so much certainty these days? Seriously, we need to learn to relax and accept a certain level of ambiguity.

If there's one thing I've learned over time, it's that nothing is ever black or white. We need to think of romance in nuances.

Here's a newsflash for you: there is no such thing as perfect love. So stop being so desperate about your happy ending and just enjoy the journey!

And seriously, when did we start setting well-defined goals for relationships? It’s such a turn-off!

It's time to start enjoying the present for what it is, settle for reality and stop craving perfection.

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Muriel Demarcus thinks there's a thing or two to learn from the way French women behave in love.

You can read the full version of Muriel's blog post HERE.

To read more from Muriel, visit her blog French Yummy Mummy or you can join her thousands of followers on Twitter @FrenchYumMummy.

From TV to snacks: Tips for how to get your home comforts in France

Photo: AFP

There’s nothing quite like sitting down in front of the TV with a cup of tea and Mars Bar or Snickers.

But tuning into the your favourite shows or hunting down your favourite tea bags isn’t always easy when you’re living in France.

The easiest way to tune into English-language TV from your home in France is via a satellite dish.

For Brits living in France, installing a dish and FreeSat box will get you up to 140 TV and radio channels from back home, so you can tune into the latest series of the Great British Bake Off without a hitch.

You make a one-off payment and then you’re set – no contract necessary.

To set your satellite connection up and pointed in the right direction, get in touch with an installer such as The French House, DD Electronics, DigiTV Solutions or FreeSat in France.

But if you don't fancy (or just can't) install a big dish on your house then watching TV via the internet is your other option.

There are sites like Film On TV, which used to be free, but now you'll probably have to pay to watch your favourite channels, although it still offers some programmes free for a certain amount of time.

Many expats have turned to VPNs (Virtual Private Network) for their laptops which essentially disguises what country you are in, so you can watch your favourite TV programmes online.

But TV companies like the BBC and Sky are cracking down on VPNs and making it harder for expats to connect. However the EU is putting pressure on broadcasters to allow people to watch TV no matter what country they are in. SO things may change for the better in the future.

Finally, British expats who split their time between the UK and France BBC iPlayer, All4, Sky Go and ITV Hub all allow UK TV licence payers to download programmes and keep them for around 30 days. So you could stock up when you go home and settle into the sofa for 30 days when you get back.

American readers missing their TV shows will be pleased to know there's an option for you too.

Digital satellite provider CanalSat will make sports fans very happy – it broadcasts ESPN so you never have to miss a baseball, NFL, and American football game again.

You can also tune in to CNN, NBC, and even catch The Tonight Show.

As long as you don't mind waiting a few months after the programmes have been aired, a subscription to Netflix may be the perfect solution..

Netflix gives you access to its latest original TV series and many others, including shows from NBC, the CW, ABC and the BBC.

Hulu's also a great alternative, with SNL, South Park, and Modern Family ready to watch at any time, from anywhere.

Once you’re sat in front of your favourite series, the matter of finding your favourite snacks from home can be just as difficult.

Some French supermarkets have world food aisles where you might be able to strike it lucky.

But more often than not they're a jumble of products and you never know what you might find.

Brits missing out on Marmite, Cup-a-Soup, and McVitie’s biscuits can place online orders with websites like British Cornershop and Brit Superstore who deliver straight to your door.

And if you're in Paris, don't forget there's always WH Smiths on Rue de Rivoli and the numerous Marks & Spencer outlets around town, which offe plenty of snacks and indeed some decent meals.

The American equivalents, My Little America and My American Market, also promise all the Pop Tarts, Hershey's and Lucky Charms money can buy.

If you’re based in the capital, a trip to La Grande Epicerie in the 7th arrondissement will satisfy any food cravings.

The upmarket shop has treats from America, the UK, Italy, India and Asia.

But it will come at a cost: one can of Heinz baked beans will set you back almost three euros and a box of Froot Loops cereal costs €12.25. There is also the English, Scottish, Irish epicerie at cité de Vauxhall near Place de la Republique which offers English ales, cereals and sweets.

With the American holiday season coming up very soon, make sure to stop by Thanksgiving grocery store in Paris' 4th arrondissement (for the non-Parisians, there's an online shop too).

Aside from New York bagels, Jello, and hot sauces, the shop stocks all the must-haves for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners: yams, cranberries, and turkeys, as well as home-made desserts.

Amazon is also any expat's friend for finding the taste of home.

But getting your family and friends to bring your favourite snacks from home is always going to be the least expensive, and most reliable, way to source your home comforts.

By Anna Schaverien

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