Don't bring wine to a dinner party Unless you are going to an apéro get-together where everyone is invited to bring their own bouffe (food), there is no need to bring wine to a dinner party. In fact, it might be considered rude.
Non-E.U. nationals can bring in duty-free either 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of smoking tobacco. This amount is doubled if you live outside Europe. You can also bring in 2 liters of wine and 1 liter of alcohol over 22%, and 2 liters of wine 22% or under.
Don't bring a gift of wine, since the host usually prefers to make the evening's selection. The only possible exception can be a special French dessert wine or high-quality liqueur.
If you're a guest, don't pour your own wine
So if you're a guest at someone's house and find your wine glass is empty, don't even think about grabbing the bottle and topping yourself up – it's considered incredibly rude. Instead, wait for your host to ask if you would like some more and she will pour you a refill.
It is rude to sit with one's legs spread apart unless in a relaxed context. Rather, sit straight with your legs crossed at the knee or knees together. Feet should not be placed on tables or chairs. If someone is invited to a restaurant or a business function, it is acceptable to arrive at the specific time.
Bad French Table Manners Are… To start drinking before everybody has a full glass in front of them (and someone has a chance to make a toast). To keep your hands under the table. If you are a man, to serve yourself before offering the food to the woman sitting next to you.
Avoid crying out “garçon!”
To avoid a Mr. Bean moment when calling the server in a café or restaurant, avoid calling out “garçon!”across the crowded room. It's not just outdated but borderline condescending, and worth stating the obvious—not all servers are male.
How many bottles of wine can I bring back from France? There's no limit on the number of bottles of wine you can bring into the U.S. for personal use, although anything over the duty-free allowance of one liter (so one bottle) may be subject to a small duty. This is rarely enforced for small quantities.
It is not necessarily rude to leave food on a plate in Paris, but when someone is finished eating, they should place their knife and fork across their plate to indicate to the waiter they are done. Otherwise, the plate will not be cleared.
There is a law in France that states that you can bring your own bottle of wine to a restaurant. The restaurant cannot prevent you from doing this. Thus, you can either bring your favorite wine, or a cheap bottle of wine without having to worry about getting ripped off by the house.
White chrysanthemums or lilies, as they are for funerals, and should be avoided for other occasions. White flowers, as they are used for weddings. Yellow flowers should be avoided as they are a symbol of infidelity. Red carnations, as they symbolize bad will.
Avoid bringing wine to a French dinner party
Some people recommend not to bring wine as a gift to dinner parties because it could be seen as an insult to your host - implying that they do not know much about wine.
You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions for medical reasons, for example certain amounts of powdered infant milk, infant food, or pet food required for medical reasons. Check the rules about taking food and drink into the EU on the European Commission website.
You cannot bring in more than 16 litres of beer, four of still wine, one litre of other alcohol at more than 22% alcohol or two litres of other alcohol lower than 22%.
Cash, Securities and Valuables
If you are in possession of cash, securities, or valuables in an amount equal to or greater than €10,000 (or its foreign currency equivalent), you must declare it to Customs when crossing the French border, regardless of your destination or return country.
A waiter in a café is sometimes called un garçon de café, but French people use the word un serveur much more often, for any type of waiter. A waitress is une serveuse. Yelling “Garçon !” to catch a waiter's attention in a restaurant (or a café) is rude and outdated.
Tipping in French restaurants and cafés is not expected
This is indicated on the menu or the bill with the phrase “service compris.” Nevertheless, if you have a friendly or efficient waiter, you can leave a small gratuity (un pourboire), but this is by no means required.
Never eat on the go
Therefore, munching on anything while walking around in public places is highly frowned upon. This applies to public transport, too.
Alcohol between 24% - 70% ABV (48 – 140 proof): For carry-on, same rules apply as above. You are limited to containers of 3.4oz or less that fit in your quart-sized bag. For checked bags you are limited to five liters per passenger.
The Transportation Security Administration limits liquids in carry-on luggage to 3.4 ounces (100mL), so standard bottles of wine must go in your checked bags. The one exception is alcohol bought at a duty-free shop at the airport after you've already gone through security.
Yes, you may bring wine on board in your carry bag but in limited quantities. Like all liquids, wine is subject to TSA's size restrictions. Each passenger is limited to containers of 3.4 oz or less that can fit comfortably in one quart-sized, clear, zip-top bag.
'Bon appetit' is one of the many French phrases adopted by the English language. Using this phrase is a very popular way of telling someone to enjoy their meal. And you can also use it if you're a guest.
“je vous en prie” (please go ahead) “faisons les choses simplement, servez-vous et faisons tourner le plat, ce sera plus pratique” (let's do things simply. Help yourself then let's have the dish go around the table, it will be easier) “après vous, je vous en prie” (you first, please).
In France, saying bonjour in French is a sign of respect and a cultural norm. It's not optional to forgo the greeting if you want people to know that you understand French manners.