France customs, traditions, etiquette and culture

France is so attractive to tourism (it is the most visited country in the world) because in addition to its monuments, cities, towns, avenues and history, it has one of the most influential traditions and cultures in the world.

Let us know in this article what cultural riches this Western European country keeps. Let us know the customs of France.

What are the customs of Paris?

Greet each other with kisses on the cheeks, have a wide and frequent social life and be kind to your own and visitors.

Triple Kiss of France

The triple kiss consists of an informal greeting with three kisses on the cheek starting from the left, which will eventually receive two. A gentle handshake will suffice if it is a formal greeting.

How is the social and night life in France?

The French highly value their social and nightlife, making it a habit to go out several times a week to go to the theater, the cinema, have dinner or simply chat in one of their many cafes.

Drink

One of the customs and habits of the French is to go out and share a coffee or other drink with family or friends. They like to stop at a local to chat or just hang out with a hot drink accompanied by a sweet.

kindness

The French are friendly, especially with visitors. Whether or not they speak the same language, you will always find a way to make them feel your courtesy.

The French people are said to be one of the most sociable and friendly in all of Europe.

Lunch hours

The French are not strict with breakfast hours, as everyone eats it according to their own custom. They are usually light dishes.

Lunch time if it is well fixed. In France they eat this food between 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm. As for dinner, its hours are from 8:00 p.m. and can become a more formal meal, as well as being the strongest of the day.

Lunch and dinner are accompanied by wine, a long-standing custom in France.

Also read our definitive guide on what to do in Paris in 7 days

religious customs

France is officially a country independent of all religious customs, which means that everyone is free to profess the religion they like.

Atheism, which denies the existence of God, as well as agnosticism, which considers it impossible for human beings to understand God, are practiced freely. It is also possible to find followers of Protestantism, Islam or Judaism.

Despite all these freedoms, the majority of the population is practicing and faithful to Roman Catholicism.

Parties

Religious festivals and historical and patriotic celebrations occupy an important place in the customs and habits of the French.

Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, which commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus, and Good Friday, when the crucifixion of Christ is remembered, gather a multitude of people in every city and town.

Easter Day begins with a ringing of the bells of all the churches, a special day for children who look for the hidden, colorful and delicious Easter eggs.

One of France’s customs during its July 14 celebration is to decorate the Champs-Elysées in the colors of the country (blue, white, and red). The commemorative parade is presided over by the President of the Republic.

The Armed Forces are present on the ground and in the air, traveling from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde, with the famous jet planes that draw the country’s flag in the Parisian sky.

Another custom at the end of that day is the fireworks launched from the Trocadero Palace, while the people watch the show on the Champs de Mars.

ascension day

One of the customs and traditions of France is to celebrate the Day of the Ascension of the Lord to heaven, a celebration held during the fifth week after Easter. It is the event prior to the long-awaited summer holidays.

It is a magical season where nature rewards its children with beautiful views. Everything is greenery, flowers and a climate that invites you to walk and enjoy the sun.

Events and processions

The French place great importance on commemorative events with processions that are governed by rules that are hundreds of years old.

In the case of All Souls’ Day, the flowers used to honor the dead are chrysanthemums, a tradition established in the Middle Ages.

For the celebrations of All Saints’ Day, on November 1, it is customary for the decoration of Catholic churches, as well as the ornaments of the altars and the clothing of the priests, to be white.

For November 2, in commemoration of the Day of the Dead, the lilac color is used for decorations and ornamentation.

Also read our guide on holidays and traditional days in France

Meals, desserts and drinks

One of the most accentuated customs of France and for which it is recognized worldwide, is its gastronomy and good food.

Its cheeses are exquisite, such as Roquefort or Camembert. Its extensive variety of breads, fine herbs, tomatoes, sausages and pork, as well as its incomparable wine and the famous and exquisite pate foie gras, a traditional dish from the south of France, invites you to try Gallic gastronomy.

It is customary to have breakfast with a coffee or chocolate accompanied by a baguette spread with fruit jam. Croissants are also very tasty as the first meal of the day, bread that now belongs to the world.

Typical dishes

It is the custom and habit of the French to eat coq au vin, a stew of chicken in wine prepared generally with red wine and sometimes with white wine. It also has vegetables, turnips and onions, with an aroma that comes from thyme and bay leaf.

Towards the south of the country it is customary to eat birds such as goose or duck, while to the north a wide variety of meats such as beef are used.

Desserts

Desserts are just as important in France as any of the three meals. One of the most famous and appreciated are crepes, crepes or crepes, made with wheat flour.

They are made with a rounded and thin dough that, after being cooked, is eaten with some sweet to taste of the diner.

Other traditional French desserts are macaroons, Breton farz, caneles, tarte tropézienne and clafoutis.

wines and more

Making and consuming wines is one of the customs and traditions of France, producing excellent quality wines at good prices in each region of the country.

Among the traditional drinks of France we have:

1. Creme de Cassis: French liqueur made in Burgundy whose production began during the 19th century. It has a fruity aroma and is deep red in color, with a flavor similar to that of blackcurrant. It is also used to prepare other drinks and cocktails.

2. Vin Brule: drink made from red wine originating in the southwest of France. It also has orange juice and various spices.

3. Kir: cocktail made with creme de cassis and champagne. Its name is due to the mayor of Dijon, Félix Kir, who offered this drink at the official receptions he presided over.

4. Champagne: it is perhaps the most traditional drink in the country and the most widespread in the world. The original champagne is a sparkling wine made in the Champagne region, northeast of France, following a specific method: “the Champenoise”.

Although it has a “controlled designation of origin” to preserve the exclusivity of the name “champagne”, today all sparkling wines are known as champagne regardless of where they have been produced.

One of the customs and habits of the French and other parts of the world is to toast with champagne at weddings, birthdays and other important celebrations.

Etiquette in France

The French take great care in some aspects when interacting with other people. Let’s meet the most important.

visit a french

Before visiting a French you must announce yourself in advance. Surprises are not accepted. The correct thing is to bring a bottle of wine as a gift and compliment the food served at the table.

Split the bread

Baguette bread is the most traditional in France and the rule is not to cut it with a knife. What is done is to place it on a nice and clean cloth and from there the pieces are taken by hand.

The baguette is an essential food on the French table, so it doesn’t matter if you buy more than one. It will never be much.

tips

When it comes to tips, the etiquette is that you round this compensation up, never down.

don’t refill your cup

If you go to a restaurant, expect to be served. If this doesn’t happen and you want to do it yourself, never fill the cup completely. The French act with moderation and say it’s the right thing to do, so when you drink you also have to be moderate.

hands on the table

It is a rule of etiquette that when sitting at the table the hands are never on it. The elbows should be down without being seen.

Be careful when sipping

You should never make noise when eating soup because it is considered a rude gesture. Not even admiration or satisfaction in drinking it.

Salads are not cut

None of the ingredients in a salad should be cut. The leaves are folded using cutlery to be brought to the mouth.

cut the cheese

According to the label, the cheeses must be cut with the appropriate knives. Cured cheeses are sliced with tear-shaped knives; For soft and fresh cheeses, knives with blunt and soft blades are indicated.

dress appropriately

Etiquette also dictates that you should dress tight for every occasion, so shorts and exercise shirts are ruled out for meetings or celebrations.

Never go out in pajamas, even velvet. Everyone who sees you will do so contemptuously because you will be transgressing a rule of etiquette and protocol.

take care of your emotions

A trait that characterizes the French is discretion. The etiquette indicates that one should not be indiscreet or make great displays of emotion, even sometimes it is better to appear somewhat indifferent.

Being very expressive or loud when showing emotions is not correct. You have to be careful how you express yourself.

culture in france

As one of the oldest countries in the world, the result of alliances and unions between principalities and dukedoms ruled by a single ruler, France has managed to forge and develop a vast culture that encompasses cuisine, art, fashion, architecture and many others. aspects.

The word “culture” comes from France. It is born from the Latin “colere”, whose meaning is “to take care of the land and cultivate”.

The French were widely influenced by the Greco-Roman and Celtic cultures, as well as the Franks, a Germanic tribe.

France is recognized worldwide as a country capable of satisfying all curiosities and satisfying the needs and tastes of millions of people, precisely because of its culture.

The traditions and customs of France have spread to many parts of the world and their influence is felt in other countries.

What are the beliefs of the French?

It is a secular country where the majority of believers are Roman Catholics. There are also Protestants, Jews, Islamists, atheists and agnostics.

What is the typical French dish?

Coq au vin, chicken stew in wine.

What do they eat the most in Paris?

Foie Gras pate, fattened duck or goose liver; Boeuf Bourguignon, beef braised in red wine; Escargots, snails; Croque Monsieur, baked ham and cheese sandwich.

How much does a Coca Cola cost in France?

2.66 USD is the cost of a Coca Cola in France.

What can you eat in Paris?

Foie gras; Croque monsieur; Coq Au Vin; Boeuf borguignon; Macarons; Croissants; Baguettes.

Customs of France at Christmas

It is a tradition and custom in France that children leave their slippers in front of the fireplace or at the foot of the Christmas tree so that Pêre Nöel (Santa Claus) places the gifts in them.

Marriage in France. Custom

Marriage in France is full of customs and traditions, which makes it more magical, special and unique.

The bride and groom sleep separately on the eve of the wedding. The bride must have 4 elements before reaching the altar: an old accessory, a borrowed one, something blue and a new one.

You can not miss the rings, the symbol of the union. They are placed on the ring finger of the left hand and it is tradition to throw rice at the bride and groom as they leave the church.

The bride throws the bouquet that she used in the ceremony and the lucky one who catches it will be the next to marry.

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