French men are what they are. French man: typical traits, behavioral features, similarities and differences of cultures. Marrying a Frenchman - how they look after
You can often hear phrases: “ I want to marry a foreigner», « The French are the most skillful lovers"And everything in this spirit.
Let's see if French men are so good, and what kind of initiative, ambition and relationship they are with Slavic girls.
Point One: Initiative in Relationships
If you are in anxious expectation that a man will grab you into an armful, take out the moon from the sky and, in general, all decisions will be behind him, I hasten to upset you. The French do not mind taking the initiative, but they can easily shift the decision to the woman. So in relationships with these men, it is important to understand that the placement of roles in your couple should be started in advance, having discussed all the points: who and where is the "first fiddle."
One of my friends, when asked about the initiative of the French, once said: "The French are not as desperate as our Slavic men." When it came to what the initiative of a man in a pair is, it became clear that the answer was not so clear-cut. After interviewing several women who leftfor permanent residence in France and for some time they have been living in relationships with French boyfriends, it became clear that the courtship period, and married life, and attitude to household duties are invested in the initiative. Three women said that the French are afraid of initiative and prefer to shift responsibilities onto the shoulders of the woman, the rest generally confirmed the fact that the “50-50” model prevails in relations with the French: a woman takes on some responsibilities, a man - others. Moreover, according to the degree of importance, these can be equivalent cases: she plans repairs, he - travels.
To summarize: if your chosen one is French, get ready to discuss household chores and clearly state what decisions you expect from a man.
Point two: which women do French people like - homely and cozy or ambitious and creative
The majority of women agree with the model “a man is a breadwinner, a woman is a keeper of the hearth”. And when choosing a chosen one, they are primarily guided by his ambition and financial stability. What does the average French man expect from his woman? Let's figure it out.
As the survey has shown, the majority of French women are women with character, for whom career and self-fulfillment are in the first place. Therefore, French men are attracted by the beauty of Slavic girls, their family nature, their willingness to be led in relationships. Still, it is worth emphasizing that the French like it when a woman has independence, ambition and independence. And a completely non-working wife is not at all an object of dreams for them.
Here are a few quotes that vividly illustrate the relationship paired with the French:
- “Is your wife a housewife? No, this is bad form. "
- "If a woman does not have her own ambitions, she is not interested in living together."
- "Getting married and having a child is not a woman's duty, but a reality."
- “The ambition for our couple was worth more than the ironed shirts, although that was also pleasing.”
To summarize: delicious food, cleanliness and comfort in the house are regarded by the French only as a pleasant bonus. Don't be in a hurry to lose heart. The French in everyday life are very independent: they themselves can cook dinner, iron a shirt or wash the dishes, they will become partners in family life for you, and not adult children who need to be looked after. And, as a bonus for a woman, there will be time to develop, to be realized in a career plan and creativity. Yet many ladies dream of something more than sitting "by the hearth".
Point three: the French are fickle, windy, not averse to going "left"
When interviewing women about their relationship with the French, a far from pleasant fact emerged: the French are fickle. Of course, many men prefer polygamy. But among the French, treason can have the character of a self-evident action. And many French women are satisfied with this alignment.
For Slavic women French "free love" becomes a serious test.
The survey participants drew out many apt remarks, which, just as opportunely, characterize the attitude of the French to infidelity: “Cheating gives variety and improves relationships "," If someone cheats in a couple, even if it is a woman, this is not the end of the world. " , "This is not free love, but the search for happiness" , “Beautiful women and sex are integral to enjoying life. And for the French, enjoying life means fully exploring everything, even other partners. "
I am in no hurry to scare you. There were many girls who answered negatively to the question about infidelity, confirming the axiom that “we are all different”. I think the majority chose to hide the juicy details of their relationship. The feeling was ambivalent, but taking into account the fact that each situation is individual, I do not presume to say unequivocally that if your partner is French, then he will cheat on you.
To summarize: if the issue of treason is acute for you, and you will never forgive, forget, or accept this fact in your life, be prepared for your French boyfriend to have a slightly different opinion. In my opinion, cheating can be present in a relationship with any man. So do not rush to hang offensive labels on French uncles, but just look for the person whose views are in tune with yours.
Point four: sex on the first date is a mistake or a common action
About 80% of the surveyed Slavs said that sex education in France is much more liberated than in their homeland. This is facilitated by the fact that the French do not divide women into those with whom you can just sleep and those with whom you can build relationships. Just five people surveyed said that sex on the first date is something unacceptable for the French. The rest were more loyal.
Indeed, sex is an important part of a Frenchman's life. And, if a woman in this moment completely suits them, the relationship develops into something more. Many girls confirm that they started dating after having sex on their first date. Plus, many French men are genuinely surprised when first date sex doesn't happen. And if nothing happens on the second date, they begin to doubt their chosen one.
There is one extremely unpleasant moment in our mentality. If a man and a woman, driven by a common impulse, nevertheless ended up in bed on the first date, then the woman receives the entire portion of the condemnation. Indeed, in this case, it is she who puts on the labels: "loose", "easily accessible" and so on. And the man gets the winner's laurels. We are raised in this model, instilled that sex on the first date is bad.
However, how to initially choose a good partner who suits both in terms of relationships and in bed, if sex only happens when two people have already spent time getting to know each other thoroughly? You decide.
About 80% of the women surveyed said that for the French, sex on the first date is the norm, and no one will blame a woman for it. Plus, relationships will last if people like each other. French men generally love it when a woman knows what she wants and when. In my opinion, this illustrates the prototype of a woman that French men draw in their heads, thinking about a harmonious relationship in a couple.
Spoon of ointment - "about French men"
Interrogating different women, it was still possible to draw a certain parallel, which was observed in almost all relationships. The French are very scrupulous about the issue of equality. If a girl is accustomed to a model where a man is a protector, a breadwinner, and a solver of all problems, her relationship with a Frenchman will not seem so fabulous to her. Many French people are, in principle, brought up in the knowledge that a woman herself can put on a coat, open a door or carry bags. So European equality can become a stumbling block for your relationship with the French.
However, any normal healthy relationship is, first of all, a union based on mutual respect, support, love and acceptance. And if your chosen one is a foreigner, much is decided not by his mentality, but by the level of feelings he has for you.
Don't rush to write off someone because of broad stereotypes. Perhaps it is in your case that the French man will give you both love and strong long-term relationships.
What is a plezir? So many enthusiastic words have been said about France that a couple of alternative reviews will not hurt her. This country has such an impeccable reputation that it is high time to compromise it. This post will present extreme and sometimes controversial views, but they are all based on personal experience. In any case, we are not going to drool over France - they will do it without us. We'd better try to look at it realistically.
Great
France is a brilliant confirmation of the saying "it is better to see once than hear a hundred times."
There is no country in Europe more beautiful than France. There is no point in proving this, just in accordance with the saying. However, the French also have their own aphorism: "The more beautiful the city, the worse its inhabitants." Which is not far from the truth. In this sense, Normandy (northern France) is especially indicative: here are the most beautiful towns on earth and the most difficult townspeople, which is recognized by the French themselves.
If you formulate the meaning of life of the French in one word, then this word will be "plaisir" (plaisir - pleasure). The entire existence of a nation is subordinated to this goal. Delicious food, excellent wine, serene life, passionate sex, beautiful clothes - no nation on earth has come closer to this ideal than the French. Pleasure is what the French are ready to travel a thousand kilometers for and stand in queues for hours.
Believe it or not, France is an agrarian country. Moreover, at the same time it is one of the most industrialized (the fifth economy in the world and the second in Europe). However, the French themselves insist that their country is primarily agricultural. They hold onto their ditches, ravines and dung heaps. Any nettle bush in their native land is dearer to them than all of your plants. Of course, there are also industrial centers here (Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse), but today in France you can still see huge areas of uncultivated land, where no housing can be seen for many kilometers. Hundreds of cute towns and villages far from major metropolitan areas are developing very slowly. There are still difficulties with the Internet and even running water, but the old streets and touching houses have survived from medieval times.
Land is the most precious thing the French have. A small piece of land that has become the subject of a dispute breaks down family ties, families break up, litigation lasts for decades, and even small wars break out. If, for example, a grandfather died and left behind an old house with a plot, and he has fourteen heirs, then this house can stand empty for thirty years - because the heirs cannot agree on how to divide it.
Agriculture in France is supported by the state: farmers are given subsidies so that they can continue to do what their ancestors did - growing grapes and olives, raising bees and grazing cows. This is why there is such an idyllic view everywhere, which is awe-inspiring.
"This is not stinginess, this is frugality"
The French are known for their pathological stinginess. In theaters, they wear coats, because you have to pay 1 euro to use a wardrobe. It is not customary to give flowers to artists - the viewer paid for the ticket and believes that he has benefited the actors enough.
In Corsica (the main resort region of France) and the Cote d'Azur, sun loungers on the paid beaches are occupied mainly by foreigners. The French themselves are located nearby, on a free stretch of the coast, right on the pebbles or sand. The Frenchman walks to the beach, bending under the weight of a rug, mat, umbrella, folding chair and a bag of sunscreen. The wife is carrying a basket of provisions. Children carry towels and inflatable toys. After lunch, when foreigners are gradually freeing up their seats on paid sun loungers, the French "imperceptibly" occupy them in order to lie down for at least an hour for free. Let the beach administration just try to drive him away - he will be indignant, because the sunbed has already been paid for, and no matter who.
When a Frenchman has free time (quite often, work is in the last place on the list of values), he goes to a cafe and orders himself juice, a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. This gives him the right to sit at the table indefinitely. The drink stretches for an hour and a half: the Frenchman drinks literally a molecule.
The avarice of French suitors is legendary. Few Russian brides can boast that they received gifts from French boyfriends - at least a bouquet of flowers. Even if the groom is generous with flowers or a restaurant, this clearly indicates that the girl must pay with sex: the Frenchman does not make gifts - he makes a financial investment. And after the wedding, his wallet will be completely closed for such pointless spending. A Russian wife will face austerity, strict accountability and the need to work to bring at least some money into the house.
At the same time, one of the cute traits of the French people is their contempt for ostentatious wealth. The local rich do not boast of their fortune, this is the height of indecency. But the French can literally undress visiting oligarchs. The shamelessness with which they "cheat" with bills in restaurants and hotels can only be compared with the idiocy of Russian merchants who, with a grand gesture, order a bottle of champagne for 10 thousand euros (400 thousand rubles) or leave 40 thousand euros for lunch (1 million 600 thousand rubles). If the Russians are ready to pay such a horrendous price, why shouldn't the French add an extra zero to the bill? In this situation, neither one nor the other has a conscience, so both sides are quit. As for ordinary tourists from Russia who behave modestly, cases of deception and miscalculation are practically unknown. It is imperative to recommend more expensive wine or remind you of the desirability of a dessert, because business is business. But the choice is still yours.
It is not a crime to rob a rich man. This is why the French often steal from shops. According to this indicator in Europe, they are the second after the British. One case became public: a mother stole some trifle in a supermarket, and when she was detained, she blamed her little daughter to avoid responsibility herself.
Who are you anyway?
French arrogance is rarely rude. If a Frenchman encounters a person whom he considers inferior to himself, he will not wrinkle his nose. He will just pretend that he does not understand what you are talking about at all. And it's not about the language. You may be fluent in French, or he may be fluent in English, but he “doesn't understand” why you suddenly think he knows what interests you. “No, I just can't figure out what this person wants from me! Maybe you understand? " - he will throw a bewildered look with another Frenchman. He, looking down at you, will shrug his shoulders. However, it all looks so stupid, pompous and theatrical that it would rather make you laugh than hurt.
In the French value system, one of the first places is the mind. The French have always had great respect for a developed intellect. However, admiration for the mind among the French is easily combined with the low intellectual level of the nation. Most French people are poorly educated (by Russian standards), semi-literate (almost all write with errors), very superficial, have an extremely limited or completely false idea of everything. At the same time, they do not hesitate to consider themselves a "nation superier" ("excellent nation"). Russians, in the backstage conversations, are called "nation inferier" ("inferior nation").
Blind faith in scientists often turns into a fascination with fantastic projects. For example, in the 1980s, one of the French experts said that oil is almost everywhere on the planet. This statement caused such delight that they began to look for oil near Paris. No one even thought of doubting, because the idea seemed so daring that it simply had to turn out to be true.
The laziness and lack of obligation of the French are known to the whole world. Any businessman from Russia, America or Germany curses the day when he decided to contact the "frogs". They, of course, know how to work (and well), but they really do not like to do it. The terms stipulated in the contracts are constantly being thwarted. It is impossible to get through to the right employee: on Monday he has not yet returned from the weekend, on Tuesday he came, but immediately left for lunch, on Wednesday he fell ill, on Thursday he had not yet recovered, and on Friday he went on vacation for a month. If you try to reproach the Frenchman for being unnecessary, he will be outraged and think that you have mortally insulted him.
The French bureaucracy terrifies foreigners. To take even the simplest step, you have to collect so many papers that you fall into a trance. English writer Peter Mayle, who bought a house and settled in Provence, cheerfully describes in his book how he bought a used Renault at a local car dealership. When making a purchase, an incredible amount of documents was demanded from him. It was necessary to confirm not only the presence of property, legal capacity and state of health. The seller demanded proof that Mail really lives in his house, for which he asked to bring receipts for payment of water and electricity bills. Therefore, most large purchases in France cannot be made without the help of a local lawyer.
My turiyo
France has been and remains the country with the largest number of tourists in the world - about 80 million people a year.
This is what is most annoying in France. Crowds of tourists besieging attractions, queues at the museum for two or three hours, speculation in tickets and raised prices - all this can instill in your heart hatred for a wonderful country. You should avoid visiting Paris on Christmas (December 24 - January 2), Easter (European schoolchildren arrive at this time, and this is the worst of all) and May (May 1-8) holidays, and most of all - during the holiday season, from mid-July to end of August. Because you can walk a kilometer under the scorching sun and not find a single bakery working - all Parisians are on vacation. And if you have managed to get into one of these periods, then try to stay away from the main hiking trails: from the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre.
Russian tourists have such a concept - "dislike of neighboring peoples." It is known that the Dutch “don't like” the Belgians, the Poles “don't like” the Germans, the Greeks “don't like” the Turks, and so on. And who doesn't "love" the French? Germans, British, Italians, Spaniards, Dutch - in general, residents of almost all border states. The Belgians and Swiss are the exception, because they themselves are almost French.
Who do the French "dislike"? Everyone. Both close and distant.
Foreigners who have lived in France for at least a few months often talk about this country in such terms that it is inconvenient to reproduce them. The French really know how to piss off. But they also know how to delight. Most of all France is liked by naive Russian and American tourists. We will not give their enthusiastic reviews either, they are known to everyone. But what is characteristic, both pessimists and optimists agree on one thing: the French, like no one else, know how to lie. Optimists admire this and call it "a slight exaggeration, but so what, because they have something to be proud of", and pessimists - "a lie, falsehood, vile lies, there is no place to put stigma on the French at all."
What Frenchman doesn't like driving fast
Transport in France is one of the best in the world and the best in Europe. Trains are comfortable and fast, the roads are perfect, the railway and bus network covers the entire territory, and the schedule is designed so that transfers are as convenient as possible. Even Germany in this sense does not compare with France, let alone Italy, where the schedule only means an approximate time when you can leave.
In any form of public transport, the main task of the Frenchman is to take up as much space as possible. You need to make a very serious face and add metal to his voice so that he can remove his invaluable backpack from the next place and let you sit down.
There are more homeless people in Paris than in Moscow. In the evening on the subway, you will run into them with a hundred percent probability. Once I was impolitely shoved in the shoulder, I turned around and was stunned: absolutely naked, barefoot, a fragrant man, wrapped in a sheet, walked along the aisle. This picturesque creature, who probably escaped from the drug treatment department, pushed people aside and did not even ask for alms, but simply looked for an empty seat. Another scene was even more impressed. The seats in the Paris subway are arranged in pairs opposite each other. Not far from me, four seats were immediately occupied by an Afro-French: he sat on one himself, on the next one he hoisted a bag, on the opposite ones he put his feet. He took off a sneaker from one foot and began to pick some eczema on the heel in front of the other passengers who were standing next to him. All this - with purely French grace, without any hesitation. By the way, putting your feet in shoes on the seats is an absolutely familiar thing for the French, both in the metro and on trains.
The roads in France are really very good, but the point here is primarily in the dry and warm climate - the temperature rarely drops below zero. 2011 was a very snowy and cold winter in France. In the spring, the roads looked worse than Russian ones: everywhere there were cracks, potholes, pits. The French swore terribly.
It's not a mange pa sis magazine
The main myth about France is that it has the most delicious food on earth. Let's argue about tastes. A deafening PR was made to this kitchen, and after the cartoon "Ratatouille" a real cult reigns around French gastronomy. At the same time, even middle-class restaurants in Moscow are much more diverse and interesting. In France, almost all catering looks the same: throughout the country, the menu is about the same, with slight regional differences. And when visiting a cafe within the same city, you don't even have to look at the list of dishes - you know in advance what is written there. You will never find such richness and variety of tastes, as, for example, in Caucasian cuisine in France.
Having broken through to the famous snails, foreigners usually try them a couple of times in their lives and give up on this: they don't want to anymore. The excitement around frog legs is also incomprehensible and can only be explained by poverty: the French in ancient times often starved and were forced to eat all sorts of rubbish. It's forgivable, but why is it considered chic today? Oysters are mostly attracted to women, but caution must be exercised here as oysters are pure protein. Not every stomach can withstand them, and in the evening after such a dinner you can turn inside out. So it's better to start your acquaintance with oysters with small doses. In the end, an experienced tourist comes to the conclusion that only three things are really tasty in French gastronomy: bread (fresh baguette, croissants), cheese and desserts.
On the other hand, we find it difficult to understand how the French taste buds work. Taste in France is brought up from childhood. Perhaps we just do not feel the shades that they feel. From two or three years old, a child in France is "trained in the language" - taught to delicious dishes. Schools are posting a school canteen menu for a week on Internet sites so that parents know what their children are going to eat and, God forbid, do not repeat these dishes in the home diet. People are accustomed to wine from about 12 years old.
Catering in France is reminiscent of the hard times of socialism. To get to a good restaurant, you have to stand in line! Some restaurants have to register two months in advance: they will tell you the day and hour when you can come, and the Frenchman will do everything so that no extraordinary circumstances prevent him from enjoying the meal at the appointed time. In the most popular restaurants and cafes, the usual situation is when customers sit at tables, and half a meter away from them people stand in line for the second hour and look the lucky ones in the mouth. But this will not embarrass a single Frenchman: if he has already sat down at a table, he will sit for at least three or five hours, having finished eating long ago, stretching out the drop of wine remaining at the bottom of the glass and chatting animatedly with a friend in front of the line, which curses the well-fed idlers.
The French love to eat outdoors and it is truly wonderful. In Russia, picnics in parks and boulevards are for some reason considered an indicator of low culture, but there is nothing more pleasant! Weather permitting, all the benches, lawns and embankments of Paris and Marseille are busy with snacking people. Sorbonne students are located right on the granite embankment of the Seine with bottles of wine, beer and baguettes for a snack, chirping and waving to passing excursion ships.
Cheese in France is almost a religious concept. This product deserves the utmost attention. In markets and in grocery stores, luxury and variety reign, and for little money. However, some varieties must be treated with caution. Such a smell emanates from them that the planes on the flights Paris - Moscow and Nice - Moscow sometimes exude a stench: all passengers bought cheese as a gift for friends and put it in the luggage compartments.
Better not to know how certain types of cheese are made. Here's a hint: the fecal odor that comes from the more odorous varieties is not accidental at all. By the way, some types of cheese, even in France itself, are prohibited from being transported by public transport, otherwise after this trip the entire train, plane or bus will have to be deactivated.
There is one thing in which the French show unprecedented hospitality and good nature. They don't let anyone go hungry. If you are not full in the cafe, you can ask for a supplement and it will be given free of charge. However, additives are not required, because, in addition to the ordered entrecote, they will pile a mountain of fried potatoes on your plate. On days when all places in restaurants are occupied (holidays, weekends), a foreigner can find himself in a sad situation. In such cases, you need to take a miserable look, go to the restaurant and tell the owner that you are very hungry, that you did not have time to book a table and now you risk being left without dinner. The owner, upon learning of your distress, will be horrified, for for a Frenchman there is no greater grief than going to bed on an empty stomach. Surely he will find a place for you: the waiter will take out a special table the size of a palm from the kitchen, set it up in the aisle, and you will still be jailed.
A French breakfast is a solid dough. Croissants, rolls, cakes, bread with raisins, bread with seeds, bread with chocolate chips - this is how the French themselves have breakfast. The baked goods are accompanied by butter, soft cheese, jams and chocolate spread. Instead of waking up the stomach after sleep and gently putting it into working mode, the French stuff it with butter dough in the morning, probably so that it doesn't have time to recover.
You can drink tap water throughout France. In any cafe, a decanter of water (from the tap) will be served free of charge - of course, provided that you order something else.
Upset stomach is the most common illness among tourists visiting France. Not everyone can withstand excessively fatty foods. “Delicious” here means primarily “fatty”. From the first to the last day of your stay in France, you will surely be haunted by bouts of lightheadedness. Or vice versa, intestinal urge.
Here's an example of a typical French dish. A piece of fatty beef, fried in butter, drizzled with butter and served with a piece of butter, which should melt and thoroughly soak every millimeter of meat again. Or pork wrapped in bacon and fried in lard. Having finished this super-fat piece of piglet, you will feel that Naf-Naf really wants to leave your body, but has not yet decided how best to do this - through the front door or through the back.
High style
For the French, style is almost as sacred as pleasure. The clerk of a pastry shop in the Marais quarter of Paris took ten minutes to pack the cherry cake my wife had chosen in a pretty box. He gently picked up the tartlet and carefully set it down on the cardboard. I moved it back and forth for at least a minute so that the cake was exactly in the center of the box and turned in the most advantageous side. Then he folded the box delicately, secured the corners and began to select a ribbon that matched the color. For a long time I bandaged and constructed a bow of incredible beauty. And when everything was ready, he handed the box to his wife with such care, as if it were a newborn child. At the same time, he knew very well that the cake would be eaten as soon as we crossed the threshold of the store. Here it is, the triumph of style!
Haute couture is still a French concept. And although at some point the leadership in this matter was intercepted by Italian gays, who tried to deprive women of femininity and men of masculinity, French fashion is still the first in the world.
The French are the undisputed trendsetters of world fashion in everything that concerns restaurants, cafes and hotels. The whole world is watching what the French come up with, and then embody in themselves. For example, the hotel custom to tuck the coverlet under the mattress in the area of the legs (to make the bed with an "envelope") originated from France. The concept of “art of living” (“ar de vi”) was born in this country. And the very system of hotel "stars" appeared right here.
Luxurious hotels and restaurants can appear here in such an unexpected place that it is impossible to imagine in any other state. French travel guides rave about a family-run five-star hotel in a Languedoc village. We went there by car (of course, having booked seats in advance - without this it is impossible). From the Toulouse-Marseille highway, you have to turn into the fields, and here we are on some kind of farm. In the middle of the godforsaken village there is a beautiful house, which is a five-star hotel. Two employees, they are also the owners of the hotel, husband and wife in their sixties. From this moment we become members of their family. We will be escorted to one of the two rooms of this hotel. There is not a speck of dust in the room, the curtains on the windows hang deliberately carelessly, the bed linen is dazzling white, there are five soft pillows for each, and you can ask for additional ones. The mattresses are so comfortable that the next morning you feel: for the first time in your life, you really slept. The fact that guests become family members does not mean that they are being imposed on them. Nobody bothered us, but when in the morning we went out for breakfast, the owner and hostess greeted us so cordially, as if we were their beloved children who had brought their beloved granddaughter to them. Breakfast was served by the pool (there was an outdoor pool in the middle of the village). The hostess ran to a neighbor who decided to trim the lawn, and he immediately turned off the mower so that the crackling would not interfere with our breakfast. A special chair was brought for the child; dust was blown off this young bandit. We ate the freshest food on earth, looking out at vineyards and lavender fields. Even the sternest eye would not be able to find fault with the landscape - everything was there in its place. After breakfast, the table was cleaned instantly, and instead there were sun loungers, umbrellas and towels. As soon as we glanced in the direction of the kitchen, the owner immediately looked out to ask what we wanted - cocktails, wine or light snacks. However, snacks appeared even without our desire. The dinner prepared by the hostess and served by the owner is difficult to describe, and it’s not even the freshest food, but the words, smiles and incredible kindness of these old people. When we said goodbye in the evening, they had such tears in their eyes that it was impossible to doubt their sincerity. They kissed the "granddaughter" to the point of exhaustion and presented gifts. To be honest, we shed tears too. And we will certainly never forget this lesson in the “art of living”. It is no coincidence that the tiny village hotel is known throughout the country, appears in major French travel guides and proudly bears the stars of all hotel and restaurant ratings. By the way, the accommodation did not cost us so much.
For a couple of days of rest in such a hotel, a Frenchman is ready to cross the whole country by car. He will do the same for the sake of a famous restaurant, lost somewhere in the mountains of Provence. To understand how incredible this is, imagine that somewhere in a village in the South Urals there was a Bashkir grandmother who cooks very tasty. The news of this immediately spread throughout all the newspapers, and now Muscovites, Petersburgers, Kazan and Novosibirsk residents travel thousands of kilometers to taste the excellent cuisine of the famous grandmother, and inexpensively. In Russia this is impossible, but in France it is a way of life. Every culinary star that flares up is closely watched here. Having gone to travel through the mountains of Provence, we climbed the serpentine and ended up in a tiny village at an altitude of 800 meters. There was not a single person on the streets - only cats. We wanted to have a bite to eat at a local cafe, but could not do it - the places in the cafe were scheduled for today, tomorrow and after the day after tomorrow. Cars with Parisian numbers were already moving into the parking lot (to Paris - 1000 kilometers). It turned out that the village cafe has a Michelin star (the most authoritative rating of restaurants in Europe) and the local chef is a national celebrity. There are hundreds, if not thousands of such restaurants in provincial France. They can be located in former cowsheds, some kind of basement, or in giant wine barrels. Even a roadside café in a squalid backwater will win a Michelin star if a food critic thinks a local chef is incredibly tasty at baking snails with garlic. And people from all over the country will reach out ... For a Frenchman to miss his "plezir" - but rather the republic will fall!
Kirill POKEDOV, newspaper "My family"
What does an ordinary Russian know about the French? Actually, not that much. Those who have never been to Hugo's homeland often use common stereotypes in their ideas about the French. The portrait of a "typical Frenchman" in most cases looks a little strange: a kind of sophisticated lover of frog legs and "burgundy", with an indispensable scarf around his neck and a baguette under his arm, drinking coffee with a croissant in the morning, and champagne in the hotel room in the evenings ... But so is it?
About stability
If we talk about stable habits, then the French are unconditional opponents of experiments. They value stability and consistency most of all. It can get ridiculous: bread is always bought in the same bakery, Friday dinners are held in a favorite restaurant, and vacations are at a resort that you liked when you were young. Is it worth talking about the Frenchman's attachment to his work? As well as to your country. A typical Parisian may know several languages, especially if it is his duty, but in any case he remains sure: there is no country better than France, and there is no particular point in traveling abroad either. According to the Frenchman, the Earth revolves around Paris. And the French frankly regret representatives of other nationalities, because, alas, they will never become the owners of such a delicate taste and such a wide outlook as the inhabitants of France.
Every Frenchman sincerely considers himself "the best" - in politics, fashion, art, culture, gastronomy ... It is impossible to list everything. Well, if in some area a Frenchman does not feel like an expert, then this, of course, is only because this area of knowledge is not at all interesting to him and is not needed in life.
About kisses and style
Another stereotype is about unique French kisses. The French man generally seems to most foreign women to be a kind of hero-lover. But in fact, the majority of the "frogs" are ordinary guys, often, by the way, giving in to the ladies. The reason for this is the well-known relaxedness of the French women and their notorious independence.
By the way, about the French women. They do not always look as elegant and stylish as the mass media is trying to demonstrate. Carried away by feminist sentiments, French women often forget about their appearance. But men in France really take care of themselves - sometimes even more carefully than women.
It is believed that the French do not pronounce the "r" sound, but this is only partly true. It all depends on what region of the country a person was born and raised in - Corsicans, for example, have an accent in which there is no characteristic French "r".
The French are pretty lazy and they really are. The average Frenchman uses every possible opportunity to relax: lunch break, coffee break, day off, shortened day, illness, strike ... This is especially true for office workers. However, merchants in numerous shops also do not disdain such things.
About food
By the way, about the shops. French housewives are some of the most meticulous in the world. In Europe, it is generally not customary to prepare food in advance, and in France it is completely like death. The typical Parisian housewife goes to the shops every day, picking each piece of cheese meticulously. Everything you buy must be perfectly fresh. The very process of eating gives the French incredible pleasure - perhaps only talking about cooking is becoming more pleasant.
The French are even more conservative when it comes to food than they are when it comes to jobs or car brands. Everything should be as usual: foie gras - only with sauternes, coffee - only after dessert, and God forbid adding milk to it! Yes, table setting and even the order of seating guests at dinner are also subject to strict canons.
About tourists
The French attitude towards tourists is wary, if not to say hostile. Sincerely considering their country the best in the world, the French believe that any newcomer, by default, is not so smart and sophisticated. And if a tourist also actively violates the rules of conduct - for example, reveals a map, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk - then this is a reason to express his open contempt to him.
The French are not very friendly at all. However, this is not a reason to refuse to visit Paris: if a tourist behaves "correctly", he will always and everywhere be welcome. And if you can explain with the locals in French, the attitude towards you will be especially warm.
We laugh at the most common stereotypes of foreigners about Russians, but can we be sure that we ourselves have not become hostages of myths about other nationalities? We are figuring out whether French women really never go on diets, prefer family to a career and drink a lot of wine.
Vanessa ParadisMany of our compatriots, as well as millions of others around the world, are obsessed with French culture. First of all, it is believed that Paris is the most romantic city in the world, which all dreamers consider it their duty to visit. The famous Eiffel Tower, always gallant men who are no doubt good in bed, and slender stylish women who prefer fashionable European brands and never go on diets - this is how the French capital and its inhabitants imagine those who are familiar with Paris only from popular motion pictures. Probably, you yourself have already guessed that most of these stereotypes have nothing to do with reality.
We decided to collect the most famous myths about French women and find out which ones are true, and which ones it is high time to stop believing.
French women never get fat
Despite the abundance of pastry shops, the windows of which literally beckon all those with a sweet tooth, most French women always keep themselves in shape - this opinion can be heard even from those who have been to Paris. However, the author of the book They Eat Horses, Don't They? The Truth About the French ”Pew Marie Eatwell considers this to be a delusion. Of course, obesity rates in France are not as dramatic as they are in America. But fans of the theory that all French women are thin, most likely, have never been to the remote regions of this country. “Foreigners tend to visit places like Paris and hang out in the most prestigious and trendy parts of the city - and therefore return with the impression that all French women are slim,” says Itwell. "Parisian women are much thinner than the inhabitants of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region." According to research by the Institut Pasteur, 20.5% of people in Nord-Pas-de-Calais are overweight and obese, which is 6% higher than the national average.
Conclusion: myth
French women prefer wine (lots of wine)
French wines are appreciated all over the world and, to the surprise of many tourists, are not expensive at all. A good bottle of wine in this country can be bought for 2-10 euros, which is extremely cheap by the standards of America, Canada or Russia. By the way, certain types of bottled water in supermarkets can cost more than a bottle of wine - incredible, isn't it? Therefore, French women very often choose a glass of wine as an accompaniment to lunch. And, of course, if you come to visit a French family, you will certainly be offered wine to complement your dinner. Of course, some residents of this country do not drink alcoholic beverages, but if a French woman is given a choice - wine or beer - she will almost 100% of cases give preference to the former.
Conclusion: truth
French women are always rude
Itwell agrees that Parisians sometimes behave very cold and dry with foreigners if you approach them with a question on the street. However, according to the writer, this is not because they are naturally rude - most likely, like other business women in large cities around the world, they are in a hurry somewhere, and they do not have time for courtesies. Of course, Parisian women cannot be judged by all French women. “The people in the provinces are often very friendly,” says Itwell. The writer also focuses on the fact that the external alienation of French women is embedded in their cultural code, but is not a reflection of their internal state. “The French, along with the Russians and the Germans, are 'tough' on the outside,” she says, referring to Kurt Lewin's theory of cultural division. - They rarely smile at strangers, are reluctant to enter into conversations and may appear unfriendly and even aggressive at first glance. However, if you manage to break through their hard outer shell, they tend to become close, loyal friends and begin to treat you like family members. "
Conclusion: myth
French women eat a lot of cheese
Conclusion: truth
French women don't remove body hair
Contrary to outdated stereotypes, French women get rid of body hair. “It's an old cliché that is definitely not true today,” comments Pew Marie Itwell's common stereotype. "It appeared due to the fact that the habit of shaving spread in Europe much later than in America." However, there is one caveat in this case: with the rise of feminist movements, some women do refuse to shave their body hair. And French women were no exception. But still, if you look at the situation globally, most French women get rid of unwanted hair. This is confirmed by the results of a poll conducted by La Parisienne: more than 75% of young French women use a razor every day, and almost 80% of those surveyed spoke out strongly against the "unshaven armpit" movement, which is supported by such Hollywood divas as Madonna, Lily Allen and Miley Cyrus.
Conclusion: myth
French women always dress tastefully
Paris is known for its great boutiques, so French women are very fortunate in that sense. “Foreigners who visit the trendiest districts of cities like Paris come back with the idea that all French women are elegant - although this is not necessarily true,” says Itwell. Of course, most Parisian women take their style and outfit seriously for public outings. According to the writer, they try to keep track of the combination of elements of clothing and follow the rule: three colors (or less) in one outfit (
For prevention and general development - if you have a trip to France or meeting the French, it's nice to be a prepared person :) I am against labeling people for any reason, but at the same time, there are small and large national characteristics of each a single country. This makes us different, this is the thrill of knowing something or someone new. At the same time, the positive and negative qualities of all people on this planet are expressed in the same way. Simply, if verbally, then in different languages. So, according to my personal observations, the French ...
They love to eat outdoors.
The obvious change of scenery in Paris from gloomy to sunny spring ones made me remember this habit in the first place. All the parks, embankments, benches and squares where you can at least sit somewhere, the weekend after the weekend becomes more and more lively. Last weekend on the Place de Vosges, people even sat in the middle of idle fountains, just to get somewhere to bask in the sun. Everyone has a sandwich in their hands, or a panini, or a full-fledged lunch box.
Dress not for the weather.
And it seems that it is transmitted by airborne droplets. Ballerinas in February, sandals in November, a thin raincoat and a scarf-tent in December ... And so on and so forth. Whether adults or children, it is sometimes cold to look at their bare necks, ankles and short sleeves. The most amazing thing is that often this is not a pose, but a completely conscious choice. What is even more surprising - oops, and at the end of February you yourself are cutting somewhere along Grands Boulevards in cropped trousers and sneakers, and for some reason you are not blown away anywhere.
They talk a lot about politics.
And they have their own special opinion about everything. It is not customary to say here: “Oh, I don’t understand politics” - they do, one is better than the other. Of course, sometimes (almost always) discussions about government boil down to the fact that everyone is doing everything wrong, and “this country is heading straight to hell,” but all this is said with a very serious face.
They talk even more about food.
About food - while eating. Remember what, where and when , where, how and what was prepared, what they cook at home, where they buy which market is fresh, which cheese / butcher's shop is better for shopping. An unprepared person is a little crazy at first. But then nothing - you get involved. If you do not want to support these deep discussions, nod and smack your lips thoughtfully. This will be considered an expressed opinion - checked more than once.
Polite hypocrites.
Good manners of the French can be seen from a kilometer away - it is customary here to greet, apologize and wish everyone a good day, always, under any circumstances. You will be asked for forgiveness for stepping on someone's foot in the subway - automatically, because children literally absorb this habit with their mother's milk. This is the way it is. But this barrel of honey has its own fly in the ointment - no matter how polite a person is looking into your eyes, behind your back he can say the most unpleasant things. Colleagues and neighbors are the closest and most striking example of this.
Quite a lot of people judge others and consider themselves better than others.
Of course, you can put up with this if you understand that you live in this country - except for accepting the locals with all their troubles, there are not so many options. The fact remains that the French love to gossip and are very fond of judging other people (for their decisions, lifestyle and appearance). “Other people” can be both scandalous celebrities from TV screens and close relatives. In addition, the French, as a nation, often place themselves above others. It's snobbery or arrogance - call it what you want. They are proud of their history and rich culture, and therefore they are terribly proud of their origins.
They wear shoes indoors.
This is followed by a whole cart of similar everyday habits, unsettling people like me - who do not go further than the corridor in sneakers, and if they do, then only in sterile clean sneakers. In the same way, it’s hard for me to allow myself something like that in someone else’s house, but the French do not seem to care - they seem to be oblivious to the fact that guests in their homes are stomping in their shoes.
They eat on the subway.
They grab their sandwiches with their bare hands and chew with pleasure, while other people's coats, backpacks and umbrellas hang over them. At the same time, many manage to read the book and turn the pages with one hand. Whether this is the cost of living in a big city and the resulting habit of saving time on trips, or just absolute indifference, where and what is appropriate to do - I have no idea. One way or another, this habit is already a classic.
Don't bother with hygiene.
Which is logical if you add the two previous points together. Plus there are small children who are allowed to touch everything and climb wherever they are, and the same carefree parents who easily sit on the asphalt and often do not wash their hands before eating. I am used to seeing this, but I’m unlikely to ever start doing the same.
Conservatives in everything.
It is not for nothing that the old world is called “old” - traditions are remembered and preserved here, because there really is something to keep. This applies to national holidays (including religious ones, even though France is a much more secular country), as well as small and large everyday traditions. Many of them (well, of course) are related to food :) What is pleasantly impressive - the French mentality masterly combines old-fashioned and progressive views, depending on certain topics.
In general, the French are very cheerful and cheerful guys - they cannot be different, because they know a lot about pleasures and know how to enjoy life. Yes, they often , sometimes annoying with their melancholy, and sometimes it seems that they are spoiled and spoiled. But this is only at first, when both the country and the people are still new to you. Over time, the habit of comparison fades into the background, and you focus more on what you can. with them. Much more productive activity :)
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