#french-culture

#french-culture

From celebrating Halloween in France to giving your French friends a fright (with outdated expressions) and small, but mighty, French symbols, this week's La Belle Vie newsletter offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like a local. La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France - from language to cuisine, manners to films.

I've spent years observing French people and how life is lived here. I am fascinated by French history and culture, from the arts to national characteristics. For instance (and I'm being general here, obviously there are exceptions) French people hate to be wrong about anything and will insist "I never said that" if they give you duff information. They know that they were wrong, will laugh when you point out that actually there are witnesses to what they said,

French femininity has been marketed to American women, yet modern influencers offer an incomplete picture of Paris that's often romanticized and idyllic.

Every last Thursday of the month, Moules à Facettes hosts an afterwork party in SF featuring French drinks, French music, and a diverse crowd.

The Languedoc region, with its scenic landscapes, ancient villages, and rich history, offers a relaxing experience that showcases the true essence of southern France away from typical tourist spots.

Juilletiste refers to those who take their summer holidays in July, while aoûtien denotes those who vacation in August, highlighting France's sacred summer holiday tradition.

Éventail, pronounced ay-von-tie, is the French word for a handheld fan made of fabric or paper that cools you down, often adorned with decorative designs.

"Asterix brings together all of the identity-based clichés that form the basis of French culture," Nicolas Rouvière noted, emphasizing the character's role in reflecting French identity.

If you're tempted to buy a second home in France, one of the best pieces of advice I heard was to rent in that area for a few months before deciding to buy.

Most recently, interior minister Bruno Retailleau sent out a special kind of memo - called a circulaire - to préfecture and interior ministry staff about how they ought to interpret and apply the 2024 immigration law. In reality, the memo will not lead to sweeping changes, but it does mean that some enforcement of existing rules could be stricter moving forward.