Tourists visiting France might find some traditions peculiar, such as pink toilet paper being very common here.
Foreign visitors may find the French rules of etiquette regarding language, politeness and hierarchy difficult to grasp. For instance, French people use “vous” when speaking to those they don’t know well or those above them in social status.
French Food
Food and wine are at the core of French culture and traditions. At long lunches and relaxed dinner parties, French people discuss various topics with friends and family–from politics to money–with no taboo subject being off-limits.
Boulangerie (bakery), epicerie and boucherie visits are popular weekend activities in France. At these stores, residents shop for groceries while socializing with neighbors and colleagues at their counters.
Not unlike breakfast in the United States, where most people start their day with coffee or tea at an established time, most French start their days off right by enjoying a hot beverage such as tea or coffee accompanied by dessert such as yogurt with fresh fruit or dark chocolate! In summer months they often drink cooling beverages such as bright green menthe or red grenadine (originally composed of pomegranate pulp but now mixed with other fruits) from small bowls – this tradition dates back centuries!
French Wine
French wine culture and national pride have long been intertwined, and French vignerons are internationally respected for their high quality production, having had an influence in winemaking worldwide.
France was home to its earliest wines during medieval times when monks began cultivating vineyards for the purpose of celebrating mass and earning income from grape harvesting. Additionally, Roman Catholic church also played an instrumental role in keeping winemaking traditions alive during this period.
French wine underwent its most glorious period during the 19th century before its fortunes were altered by phylloxera pest. This necessitated replanting vineyards on American rootstock.
Today, France boasts ten major wine regions that produce some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Pinot Noir wines in the world. French wine has long been seen as an important source of national pride; typically enjoyed alongside meals. Gifting one as a sign of friendship or to show respect can only increase its significance!
French Style of Dress
French culture is known for its sense of style and sophistication, evident by how its people dress; women preferring tailored looks featuring messy bangs and classic red lipstick; as well as being generous to their neighbors by gifting food or flowers when appropriate.
Men’s fashion underwent significant change during the French Revolution, as long pants hemmed near the ankle replaced knee-length breeches known as culottes that had distinguished aristocratic French clothing. This change became a symbol of working class protest against Ancien Regime rule; at this time men would often display some form of the blue, white, and red flag on their clothing such as pining its cockade to their cap or wearing its uniform as part of a faction’s uniform.
France is famous for their friendly culture; when greeting new people it’s customary to greet them with two kisses on each cheek as a sign of respect, which should usually be reciprocated.
French Language
French is the lingua franca of a country boasting 12 Nobel Prizes in Literature – second only to English! French has been greatly impacted by neighboring languages like Arabic (such as alchimie and algebre) and Hebrew (including words related to flora and fauna like bled, mechoui and toubib).
French is a sound-driven language. There are only 36 phonemes in French, and corresponding spellings often reflect one or more sounds in that set. Additionally, noun gender is determined by prefixes and suffixes attached to its nouns.
In the 8th century, Gaul was invaded repeatedly by Germanic tribes such as the Franks who gradually replaced Latin with their language – leading to France becoming distinct from other Latin-derived languages like Italian or Spanish, with different pronunciation rules in each case. This can explain why there are so many exceptions when speaking French today.