La Belle Vie: Making friends, using 'monsieur or madame' and enjoying a French wine tasting
From a contested public holiday and making friends with French people to essential tips for your next wine tasting, this week's La Belle Vie newsletter 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 your newsletter preferences in “My account”.
The month of public holidays is upon us here in France, but one of those public holidays has been strongly contested over the years. The holiday itself - Victory in Europe Day - seems quite logical, it is the day that Nazi Germany surrendered and the war in Europe ended.
But France is one of a handful of countries to celebrate on May 8th - Italy celebrates "Liberation Day" in April, many former Soviet states and Russia opt for May 9th, and the United States and United Kingdom have separate public holidays recognising the World Wars and veterans' sacrifices. Over the years in France, the May 8th jour férié has been abolished, brought back in, and scrapped again.
Why is May 8th a holiday in France, and will it remain a day off?
As I mentioned above, the 'Anglo-Saxon' countries have separate customs for recognising the end of World War II, as well as the Veterans who fought in it. And on a related note, have you ever wondered by the French still call us 'Anglo-Saxons'? The term encompasses much of the English-speaking world - from Australians to Canadians plus Americans and Brits.
I have to say, when I hear a French person reference les Anglo-Saxons my mind tends to conjure up images of the early Middle Ages, battles with Vikings, and maybe the Netflix show 'The Last Kingdom'. I certainly do not identify as an 'Anglo-Saxon' myself, and I don't know many who do. For the French, the term has been used to describe the Anglophone world for centuries, dating back to the 1800s.
Why do the French still call us 'Les Anglo-Saxons'?
Cross-cultural friendship is one of the top goals many people have when moving to or visiting France, but unfortunately it can be really hard to attain. Socialising styles can be quite different and British Normandy resident Natasha Alexander told The Local that in her experience, a lot of people didn't really need or want any new friends.
Alexander wrote about her challenges trying to find French friends, and how the internet and language groups on Facebook helped her to finally start building the cross-cultural connections she had been looking for.
Why finding French friends in France might be trickier than you think
Once you have made that new French friend, you might find (depending on their age) that you still do not know their first name after quite some time. Sticking to a Madame or Monsieur So-in-so is expected for people in positions of authority - like the local mayor or your bank teller, but you might be surprised when this happens in more casual environments.
Using last names is not uncommon in France, particularly in the countryside where language tends to err on the more cautious and formal side. French language expert Camille Chevalier-Karfis told The Local that age differences can also play a role. Once you have known someone for a long time, perhaps your neighbour or that person you run into every week at the market, you might want to get on a first name basis. Here is how to go about that while remaining polite.
When can you drop 'monsieur, madame' and use first names in France?
Living in a French city can make it easier for making friends. Naturally, there are more activities, language groups, and other expats to connect with. In the countryside, it can feel isolating and as a result, more challenging to break into French friend groups.
The Local spoke with readers and members of the "Expat Life in France" Facebook group to hear their tips. For some people, getting into pétanque made a huge difference for their social life in rural France.
How to make friends with your French neighbours in rural France
And finally, if you are in the French countryside, one appealing activity might be going for a wine tasting. You might have noticed that on country roads there are sometimes signs for "dégustation" (tastings) at small, local wineries. These are a great way to have a more intimate wine tasting experience in France. If you are looking for a larger, more organised vineyard, there are plenty of options too.
Before your visit, you should think about a couple of important factors - like transportation to and from the event (don't forget - drinking and driving laws are quite strict in France, while wine tasting sessions tend to be quite generous).
9 tips for enjoying a French vineyard tour (and wine tasting)
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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 your newsletter preferences in “My account”.
The month of public holidays is upon us here in France, but one of those public holidays has been strongly contested over the years. The holiday itself - Victory in Europe Day - seems quite logical, it is the day that Nazi Germany surrendered and the war in Europe ended.
But France is one of a handful of countries to celebrate on May 8th - Italy celebrates "Liberation Day" in April, many former Soviet states and Russia opt for May 9th, and the United States and United Kingdom have separate public holidays recognising the World Wars and veterans' sacrifices. Over the years in France, the May 8th jour férié has been abolished, brought back in, and scrapped again.
Why is May 8th a holiday in France, and will it remain a day off?
As I mentioned above, the 'Anglo-Saxon' countries have separate customs for recognising the end of World War II, as well as the Veterans who fought in it. And on a related note, have you ever wondered by the French still call us 'Anglo-Saxons'? The term encompasses much of the English-speaking world - from Australians to Canadians plus Americans and Brits.
I have to say, when I hear a French person reference les Anglo-Saxons my mind tends to conjure up images of the early Middle Ages, battles with Vikings, and maybe the Netflix show 'The Last Kingdom'. I certainly do not identify as an 'Anglo-Saxon' myself, and I don't know many who do. For the French, the term has been used to describe the Anglophone world for centuries, dating back to the 1800s.
Why do the French still call us 'Les Anglo-Saxons'?
Cross-cultural friendship is one of the top goals many people have when moving to or visiting France, but unfortunately it can be really hard to attain. Socialising styles can be quite different and British Normandy resident Natasha Alexander told The Local that in her experience, a lot of people didn't really need or want any new friends.
Alexander wrote about her challenges trying to find French friends, and how the internet and language groups on Facebook helped her to finally start building the cross-cultural connections she had been looking for.
Why finding French friends in France might be trickier than you think
Once you have made that new French friend, you might find (depending on their age) that you still do not know their first name after quite some time. Sticking to a Madame or Monsieur So-in-so is expected for people in positions of authority - like the local mayor or your bank teller, but you might be surprised when this happens in more casual environments.
Using last names is not uncommon in France, particularly in the countryside where language tends to err on the more cautious and formal side. French language expert Camille Chevalier-Karfis told The Local that age differences can also play a role. Once you have known someone for a long time, perhaps your neighbour or that person you run into every week at the market, you might want to get on a first name basis. Here is how to go about that while remaining polite.
When can you drop 'monsieur, madame' and use first names in France?
Living in a French city can make it easier for making friends. Naturally, there are more activities, language groups, and other expats to connect with. In the countryside, it can feel isolating and as a result, more challenging to break into French friend groups.
The Local spoke with readers and members of the "Expat Life in France" Facebook group to hear their tips. For some people, getting into pétanque made a huge difference for their social life in rural France.
How to make friends with your French neighbours in rural France
And finally, if you are in the French countryside, one appealing activity might be going for a wine tasting. You might have noticed that on country roads there are sometimes signs for "dégustation" (tastings) at small, local wineries. These are a great way to have a more intimate wine tasting experience in France. If you are looking for a larger, more organised vineyard, there are plenty of options too.
Before your visit, you should think about a couple of important factors - like transportation to and from the event (don't forget - drinking and driving laws are quite strict in France, while wine tasting sessions tend to be quite generous).
9 tips for enjoying a French vineyard tour (and wine tasting)
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