La Belle Vie: Bisous, beaches and France's regional languages
From the best French Netflix series to cheek kisses and France's most beautiful beaches, our weekly newsletter La Belle Vie offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like a French person.
La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France – from language to cuisine, manners to films. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to newsletter preferences or adding your email to the sign-up box in this article.
As the weather gets colder and autumn creeps forward, it can feel more challenging to motivate yourself to spend time outdoors. If you are tempted to cozy up on the couch with a soft blanket, some tea and flick on the latest Netflix series, consider making it a French one.
If you prefer you can always watch with English subtitles, but if you want to challenge yourself, try watching with French captions. I personally spent much of last fall and winter enjoying Dix Pour Cent with the French subtitles and it was at-times difficult, but overall very rewarding.
It feels like such an accomplishment once you find yourself laughing along to a French joke that you genuinely understood.
Five Netflix series that will teach you French as the locals speak it
And as the air gets chillier, the sniffles come out. Cold and flu season is upon us once more, which makes this French tradition - which is already a bit awkward for many anglophones - all the more intimidating.
At one point during the pandemic, we may have thought this greeting would be replaced by the more sanitary elbow taps, but alas - bises (check kisses) are here to stay.
I had always assumed that French people were born knowing to start the bise on the right cheek, but I was very surprised to learn that there is a great regional debate whether it should begin on the left or the right, as well as how many kisses to give.
If you have found yourself lost and embarrassed with bisous - or accidentally gone in for an uncomfortable hug - then this article on this tricky custom is just for you:
La bise: Who to kiss in France, how many times and on which cheek
When you say hello - and perhaps attempt to omit the cheek kissing - you might be tired of the typical bonjour and au revoir over and over again.
You might slip in a salut or a coucou to mix things up, but you could also opt for a greeting that is not French at all.
France is home to several regional languages, all with their own different ways of saying hello and goodbye to people. Learning a few phrases in each of them is a great way to make yourself familiar with the diverse, different strands of French culture.
So, you may have heard of Brittany's regional Celtic language, Breton, but do you know how to say hello in it?
Au revoir to bonjour? Six alternative ways to say hello in France
While France is certainly not a monolith, knowing some of the basics before going to a French dinner can get you a long way wherever you are in the country. The Local created a helpful A to Z dinner guide to get you through this important French meal.
For example, "A is for andouillette" - you won't be offered this at every French household, but if you are, you might want to know what it is beforehand (hint: it is a type of sausage).
Or what about "Q for Queuing?" This is a question I get often when friends come visit: "how far in advance should we make a reservation?" There is no hard-and-fast rule, but some more traditional restaurants do not take reservations and they are well-worth every minute's wait in line.
From frogs to foie gras: Your guide to French dinner etiquette
If you are invited to a French person's home for dinner, you also might be thinking about bringing a gift. Wine is often a go-to in anglophone countries, but if your French friends know a lot about wine (and it is not your area of expertise) you might be a bit nervous to offer that as a gift.
Personally, I like to bring small American desserts - my home-cooked chocolate chip cookies definitely don't compare to delicious boulangerie level pastries, but they usually go over well.
Of course, at the end of the day, it's the thought that counts. If you are looking for some inspiration there are several easy - yet thoughtful - gift options that your French friends are sure to adore.
Reader question: What kind of gift should I give a French person?
Finally, France's beaches are worth the visit any time of year, and the off-season can be one of the best moments to go - the calmer atmosphere can make the country's already-relaxing coastline even more calming.
Even though visiting a new place is always fun, it can be even more exciting to have personal recommendations on where to go, what to eat, and what to see. The Local reached out to readers to find out their best tips for vacationing in France, specifically along its coastline.
From traditional hotel-restaurants in Brittany to the family-friendly beaches of Narbonne along the Mediterranean, The Local's readers have plenty of worthwhile recommendations for your next beach holiday in France:
Readers reveal: The best beaches and coastal resorts in France
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La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France – from language to cuisine, manners to films. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to newsletter preferences or adding your email to the sign-up box in this article.
As the weather gets colder and autumn creeps forward, it can feel more challenging to motivate yourself to spend time outdoors. If you are tempted to cozy up on the couch with a soft blanket, some tea and flick on the latest Netflix series, consider making it a French one.
If you prefer you can always watch with English subtitles, but if you want to challenge yourself, try watching with French captions. I personally spent much of last fall and winter enjoying Dix Pour Cent with the French subtitles and it was at-times difficult, but overall very rewarding.
It feels like such an accomplishment once you find yourself laughing along to a French joke that you genuinely understood.
Five Netflix series that will teach you French as the locals speak it
And as the air gets chillier, the sniffles come out. Cold and flu season is upon us once more, which makes this French tradition - which is already a bit awkward for many anglophones - all the more intimidating.
At one point during the pandemic, we may have thought this greeting would be replaced by the more sanitary elbow taps, but alas - bises (check kisses) are here to stay.
I had always assumed that French people were born knowing to start the bise on the right cheek, but I was very surprised to learn that there is a great regional debate whether it should begin on the left or the right, as well as how many kisses to give.
If you have found yourself lost and embarrassed with bisous - or accidentally gone in for an uncomfortable hug - then this article on this tricky custom is just for you:
La bise: Who to kiss in France, how many times and on which cheek
When you say hello - and perhaps attempt to omit the cheek kissing - you might be tired of the typical bonjour and au revoir over and over again.
You might slip in a salut or a coucou to mix things up, but you could also opt for a greeting that is not French at all.
France is home to several regional languages, all with their own different ways of saying hello and goodbye to people. Learning a few phrases in each of them is a great way to make yourself familiar with the diverse, different strands of French culture.
So, you may have heard of Brittany's regional Celtic language, Breton, but do you know how to say hello in it?
Au revoir to bonjour? Six alternative ways to say hello in France
While France is certainly not a monolith, knowing some of the basics before going to a French dinner can get you a long way wherever you are in the country. The Local created a helpful A to Z dinner guide to get you through this important French meal.
For example, "A is for andouillette" - you won't be offered this at every French household, but if you are, you might want to know what it is beforehand (hint: it is a type of sausage).
Or what about "Q for Queuing?" This is a question I get often when friends come visit: "how far in advance should we make a reservation?" There is no hard-and-fast rule, but some more traditional restaurants do not take reservations and they are well-worth every minute's wait in line.
From frogs to foie gras: Your guide to French dinner etiquette
If you are invited to a French person's home for dinner, you also might be thinking about bringing a gift. Wine is often a go-to in anglophone countries, but if your French friends know a lot about wine (and it is not your area of expertise) you might be a bit nervous to offer that as a gift.
Personally, I like to bring small American desserts - my home-cooked chocolate chip cookies definitely don't compare to delicious boulangerie level pastries, but they usually go over well.
Of course, at the end of the day, it's the thought that counts. If you are looking for some inspiration there are several easy - yet thoughtful - gift options that your French friends are sure to adore.
Reader question: What kind of gift should I give a French person?
Finally, France's beaches are worth the visit any time of year, and the off-season can be one of the best moments to go - the calmer atmosphere can make the country's already-relaxing coastline even more calming.
Even though visiting a new place is always fun, it can be even more exciting to have personal recommendations on where to go, what to eat, and what to see. The Local reached out to readers to find out their best tips for vacationing in France, specifically along its coastline.
From traditional hotel-restaurants in Brittany to the family-friendly beaches of Narbonne along the Mediterranean, The Local's readers have plenty of worthwhile recommendations for your next beach holiday in France:
Readers reveal: The best beaches and coastal resorts in France
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