Living French: 7th edition

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This French term was used by 19th-Century French prose-poet and essayist Charles Baudelaire to identify an observer of modern urban life. At this time, in a society characterized by progress and capitalism, the flâneur becomes a revolutionary who doesn’t want to participate but to contemplate. Good – and that usually means formal - manners are considered important – and you’re expected to conform. When entering a shop or restaurant or meeting someone, do say Bonjour Madame/Monsieur and always start any conversation in French. The response will usually be more friendly, however limited your language skills. Discover a personal scent. Similar to knowing you are wearing luxurious lingerie is the choice of scent you layer upon your skin before stepping out the door for work or for play. A luxurious decision and investment, but one that will reveal your attention to detail. And if you want to know more about this typical French custom, I’ve written a guide to hosting the perfect French apéritif. From the optimum time for apéro to préparing the table, to the types of drinks and foods to serve, you’ll learn everything you need to know to create the perfect French apéritif at home. 12. Take Long Lunch Breaks Furthermore, in France, it’s not uncommon for the French to become friends with the farmers and vendors at their local outdoor markets. They typically know each other well and the French shoppers rely on their preferred farmers/vendors to give them the best of the best when it comes to their groceries.

Wear luxurious lingerie everyday. As I talk about in my book, lingerie is a necessity for the woman who wears it, not for those who might see her in it. Why? Because simply knowing we are wearing beautiful, comfortable, luxurious lingerie feels good. And everything begins with our thoughts. If we feel good, we smile more readily, we are more open to new experiences and our attitude is lifted. What is a typical French lifestyle? How do the French enjoy life? The French live in the être (to be) instead of living in the faire (to do) or the avoir (to have). Since we are obsessed with all things French lifestyle, there are many French lifestyle tips that we’ve slowly adopted or are trying to adopt. France is one of our favorite countries to travel to and a large part of that is because we absolutely love French lifestyle habits. Our recent three week road trip around France opened our eyes to the French mentality of how to live well. Then there are the negative clichés - national arrogance, language inflexibility, unprincipled self-interest, impenetrable bureaucracy, slow working practices. With highways crisscrossing the country, driving in France is a pleasure, although parking in cities is limited and expensive. Motorway tolls are high, but you can avoid them by taking detours along more scenic roads. If you’re from the EU, you can use your driving licence from home. Expats from outside the EU must have an international licence and convert to a French licence within six months of arriving in the country.Indeed, in France life doesn’t revolve around work, money, or having the nicest and most expensive things. Instead, the French lifestyle is all about enjoying the best moments in life, whether it’s through social gatherings (with the “apéros”), French cuisine, arts, or philosophy, among other things. It’s all about living in the present moment and finding contentment in most things in life. The same goes for art galleries or antique stores. While the act of collecting art and antiques definitely occurs, the French truly enjoy the cultural experience of viewing and learning the story behind the art and antiques too.

And in so doing, paying attention to my home environment, I began to pay attention to how I spend my days. Was I exhausted and unfilled at the end or exhausted and feeling productive? Did I have time in my day to spend it with those I loved, converse with those who engaged in creative, uplifting and thought-provoking conversation or care for myself in such a way that respected my overall health? And depending upon my answer, I would tweak, eliminate, maximize or designate more or less time to those activities that improved the quality of living. Lunch time breaks in France are a sacred thing. A survey found that half of the French spend over 45 minutes eating lunch each day, and it’s over 30 minutes for three-quarters of them. This is by far the biggest percentage for the extended break of all 14 countries surveyed. A quality I really admire about French lifestyle is that the French don’t care about trends. They wear what flatters them and brings them joy. The only “trend” is to put care into how you dress and always look presentable, but beyond that, it’s really about individual style. 11. Savor everyday routines to create a French lifestyleSunday in France is sacred. The French Sunday is a dedicated day for doing absolutely nothing except spending time with family. The French are known for their long Sunday lunches “déjeuners dominicaux” that stretch into the afternoons. It’s the perfect day to take the time to sleep, eat, to visit family and relatives. Sunday in France is a time for everyone to just “être” (to be).

Whether it’s an article on overall tips to live like the French do on a daily basis or tips on practicing more mindful eating, there’s something new to learn and think about from each article. How to Incorporate the French Lifestyle Anywhere You Live In France, we’re much more comfortable with confrontation or with criticism than in other countries in the world. And râler is more like a cultural, conversational tic. It can be a way to open a conversation: one’s can complain about the weather, the government, or just the fact one’s lost their keys or phone. One can blame French people for being rude or mean but can never blame them for being authentic and honest. Authenticity is a quality dear to the French. This slow and steady attitude is vital to really embracing the French lifestyle and all the simple pleasures that come with it. You can’t embrace mindful eating, socialization, art, wellness, or any of the other French priorities if you’re running around with no time to stop, think, savor, and enjoy. Then, the French Revolution in 1789 further helped to spread the study of cooking and table service in restaurants began. In the 1800s, French cooking became a sophisticated art called “Haute Cuisine” that emphasizes moderation and quality.

And so the dilemma began for this French/English couple. Where do they create home, a base and establish roots? To secure a rental property in France, you’ll need proof of income, and your monthly salary should be at least three times the rent. While deposits for unfurnished properties are usually no more than a month’s rent, you may be asked for a much bigger deposit to secure a furnished place. If you live in an apartment building, utilities will be included in your rent, but you’ll have to get home insurance and pay an annual French occupier’s tax. A typical part of French lifestyle is shopping at the farmers market throughout the week for fresh produce, rather than the supermarket. It’s a great way to eat fresh and local food that has been grown using more natural practices. It helps you learn to eat seasonally, rather than be fooled that all produce can be available year around, like the grocery store can have you believing. It’s a lot of fun to get to know your local farmers and community, learn from them, and form relationships. It makes the experience of shopping like more of a pleasurable experience, rather than a chore to get over and done with. Plus, we always try out new foods when we visit, which expands our taste buds and our cooking repertoire. My French Living Blog is a lifestyle blog for francophiles, bon viveurs and anyone who appreciates the good things in life! French Living Blog