“French men pay attention to things like women wearing make-up, perfume, dressing well, and they enjoy a woman's sensuality.” This doesn't mean they expect women to be mere 'eye candy,' though. To the contrary, explains Carol: “French culture appreciates both the sensual and the intellectual."
PDA is Acceptable in French Dating Culture
Public displays of affection (PDA) aren't a taboo in France. Couples hold hands, hug, and kiss regularly. Perhaps this is the reason why the reputation for French romantic freedom is so widespread.
The French have an undeniable reputation when it comes to love and sex. They are passionate, enticing and simply irresistible. French people have a way with words and actions that's all about love. And when it comes to displaying their fairness in bed, they are said to be absolute sex gods!
Expect Lots of Flirting
But whether you're single or not, in France, there is plenty of flirting regardless of marital status. To both sides, flirting is an art form. So you're going to see it thrown around a lot.
The French generally date someone that they had previously met either through their friends or social circles, meetup groups, local events, but also through online dating site and apps. Online dating sites, or apps —like Tinder, Happn, Meetic, etc. — are more and more popular for both men and women.
Eye Contact: Direct eye contact is understood as a form of respect. It is considered to be extremely rude not to make and maintain eye contact. Gestures: French people tend to use the 'thumbs up' sign to indicate 'okay'. Making a circle with the thumb and index finger means 'zero' in France.
The French very rarely hug. In France, hugs are not a part of daily life. Unlike Americans, the French do not use hugging as a greeting. Instead, they kiss cheeks (faire la bise) informally and shake hands in formal settings.
The French don't have to say it, either. They are happy to communicate their feelings with hugs, cuddles and kisses wherever and whenever they feel the need to express love. There is no debate about public displays of affection in France, where PDAs are celebrated as a fortunate consequence of love.
Basically, faire la bise consists of lightly kissing someone on the cheek or cheeks. Depending on the region of France you're in and/or the region a French person comes from, the number of bises to exchange varies, as does which cheek to start with.
Despite the messy reality, most French people, 68 percent, believe it's possible to remain faithful to one person for life. They remain realistic, however. About 63 percent of French believe they can love someone even if he or she has cheated.
The French see beauty as accentuating natural beauty and feeling good about yourself, which helps the effortless aesthetic. Kate Kasbee of Edit writes, “French ideals of beauty are imperfect, laid-back, and undone.
Public displays of affection in France
People kiss acquaintances when they meet them in the street and you even shake hand with the plumber when he comes to fix your leaky pipe: the French are definitely touchy-feely. So, in Paris (and other major cities) anything goes; elsewhere, be more restrained.
4 – Flirting is an Artform in France
It's in our genes and it's socially accepted in France. A Frenchwoman is expected to play her feminine side, and be “admired” for her beauty and wit among other qualities. Frenchmen like to flirt as well, even if they know very well there is no hope of it leading anywhere.
You might say that flirting is an art form in this playful nation; this goes for both sexes, too. French women, for instance, are expected to play to their feminine side and be admired for their beauty and wit. They might smile in excess, blush, and laugh at your jokes, all the while playing with their hair.
More than a tradition, it's a habit and even a reflex. Of Latin origin, the greeting kissing persists in countries where the culture of contact dominates, and this culture is deeply rooted in France. The French still greet each other by touching each other, kissing or shaking hands.
Visiting. French people tend not to visit unannounced or uninvited. To do so is considered rude. When invited to a dinner, it is common for guests to ask their hosts if they are required to bring something on the day.
Because they feel like it
In general, staring is not considered as rude in France as in some other places. Although French mamans will tell their children that it's rude to stare (or to point) that doesn't mean that people don't do it when they grow up.
If you arrive late, it is considered rude and the host may be offended. While that is the custom in America, it is not the custom around the world. In fact, in France, arriving on time to a dinner party is considered rude. The proper etiquette is to actually arrive around 15 minutes late to the party.
How deep does this phlegm of ours go? The French are known to be sparing with their compliments, but they usually mean every single word when they do give one. You might not get much praise from them, but when you do, you'll know it means something and it's not overacted.
France is renowned for its sensuality. In this way, erotic love is expressed healthily. This isn't something that is sordid or dirty like many other countries consider it to be. It's considered a healthy expression of love, and for that reason all intimacy is considered beautiful.
In France, the very act of getting engaged takes forever. The man asks the woman's father for her hand, and he then proposes with a ring. In America, this would be followed by phone calls and a Facebook post, but here the couple keeps the engagement secret until they can tell their families in person.