FRANCEBy Michelle Saunders

Greeting in France

•Greeting people you don’t know- say your name only

•Say “bonjour” (hello) without the bisou (air-kiss) if you don’t know the person well or not friends with them

•Women greeting men or women they know - kiss the right cheek to right cheek and left cheek to left cheek

•Men greeting other men they know - only shake hands

(Kwintessential)

GESTURES

-To show that someone is crazy, put your index finger to your temple and turn your hand back and forth

-To promise or swear to something, place your hand on top of your head

-To apologize or indicate that you've made a mistake, cover your mouth with your hands

-Signal a taxi by snapping your fingers

Gesture: Form a circle with your thumb and forefinger and place it over your nose

Significance: A person is drunk

Gesture: Playing an imaginary flute

Significance: Someone is talking to much and is becoming annoying

(Nickles, Greg)

Languages

•Official language of France is French

•88% of the population speaks French

•75 different languages in France

•24 of these languages are European

•Rest of the languages include languages from the South American, South Asian and Caribbean regions

•The policy of France ensures that the citizens of the country communicate in French

•Many French people can speak at least one foreign language

(BBC Home)

RELIGIONS -ROMAN CATHOLIC 83%-88%

-PROTESTANT 2%

- JEWISH 1%

-MUSLIM 5%-10%

-UNAFFILIATED 4%

-ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IS UNDER THE SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP OF THE POPE, CURIA IN ROME, AND THE CONFERENCE OF FRENCH BISHOPS

(WHITTAKER, ANDREW)

EATING IN FRANCE Breakfast: Consists of coffee, tea or

chocolate with croissants and bread with butter or jam Lunch: Served from noon until 2 pm

-Can consist of a five course meal or a simple salad or sandwich

Dinner: Served from 7:30 pm onwards

-Usually a leisurely event, time to spend with the family or with friends

Tipping: Tips are usually included in the bill, which ranges between 10% and 15%

-Not expected to leave a tip on the table

(Whittaker, Andrew)

Dining Etiquette and Table Manners

-Not allowed to bring any friends or pets without asking

-Fork is held in the left hand while knife is held with the right hand when eating

-No elbows on the table

-Cross fork and knife on the plate with the fork over the knife if you’re not finished eating

-Leave wineglass nearly full if you do not want more

(Europe-cities.com)

DRESS ETIQUETTE

• Dress with care

• Fashion-conscious

• Good quality accessories

• Men wear dark-colored conservativesuits to make a good impression

• Women wear either stylish suits or elegant dresses in soft colors

• Clothes are elegant and classy

• Backless long dresses and elegant blazers

• Look down on sneakers

(Europe-cities.com)

Weather and Climate

•South along the Mediterranean - Mostly sunny days throughout the year

•Southwest - Fairly sunny, wet spring, and summers can get very hot and humid

•Northeast - Cold and mostly rainy falls and winters

•Northwest - Mild summers and winters with rain mixed in

•Paris - can get extremely hot in the summer with very little wind to cool things down

(France.com)

Weather is determined by the balance of power between oceanic weather systems from the west, and continental anticyclones from the east

WEDDING TRADITIONS

•Ritual Bath •Everything is white •Inside the Church, the couple stand beneath a silk canopy•Outside the church, laurel leaves are laid down as a bridal path •Bride and bridegroom toast each other from an engraved, two-handled cup•Chiverie is a wedding night prank

(World Wedding Customs.com)

FAMILY VALUES AND RELATIONSHIPS

-Each member has certain responsibilities and duties

-Extended family provides support

-Practical approach towards marriage

-Few children

-French people are private

- themselves around family and close friends

-Friendships have requirements

(Kwintessential)

HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS IN FRANCE

•The French enjoy 11 national holidays annually •Bastille Day (July 14th) was incorporated in 1789 •Armistice Day (November 11) was incorporated in 1918 •Labor Day (May 1) was incorporated in 1935

• Holiday’s nearly every week in the month of May •Many regional festivals throughout France

•Every French citizen is entitled to 5 weeks of vacation

(Nickles, Greg)

ACTIVITIES IN FRANCE

-Fishing

-Hiking

-Cycling

-Horse riding

-Golfing

(FrenchEntrée.com)

GOVERNMENT

•Centralized government•President is elected for a five-year term •Semi-presidential system•Based on the French Constitution of the fifth Republic•Declares itself as "an indivisible, secular, democratic and social Republic" •The National Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament

(Sait, Edward McChesney)

TRANSPORTATION

Air

-Approximately 478 airports -All major cities in France have airports

Car

-Approximately 500,000 miles of serviceable roadway -Paris region has most dense network of roads and highways

Public (Metro/Tram/Bus)

-Railway network of France stretches 19,000 miles -All major tourist attractions can easily be reached

(Discoverfrance.net)

WORKS CITED1. BBC Home. Languages Across Europe. Copyright 2010 BBC. Accessed Online March 1, 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/europeanlanguages/countries/france.shtml 2. Discoverfrance.net. Transportation in France. Copyright 1997-2010 disoverfrance.net. Accessed  Online March 1, 2010. http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/DFtransport.shtml 3. Europe-cities.com. Etiquette in France. Copyright 2004-2009 europe-cities.com. Accessed  Online March 5, 2010. http://www.europe-cities.com/en/662/france/eating-out/etiquette/ 4. France.com. Weather and Climate. Copyright 1995-2009 France.com. Accessed Online March  12, 2010. http://www.france.com/ 5. FrenchEntrée.com. French property, Living in France, Holidays in France, Property for sale in France and France rentals. Copyright 2003 – 2010 FrenchEntrée.com. Accessed Online March 7, 2010. http://www.frenchentree.com/france-brittany-tourism-leisure/

6. Kwintessential. France - French Culture, Customs and Etiquette. Copyright 2010 Kwintessential. Accessed Online March 3, 2010.http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/france-country-profile.html

7. Nickles, Greg. France the Culture. Copyright 2000. Ontario: Crabtree Publishing Company.Pages 75-81.

8. Sait, Edward McChesney. Government and Politics of France. Copyright 2009 General Books.Pages 38-43.

9. Whittaker, Andrew. France: be fluent in French life and culture. Copyright 2008. New York: Thurgood Publishing. Pages 120-124.

10. World Wedding Customs.com. Wedding Customs in France. Copyright 2002-2004. AccessedOnline March 20, 2010. http://www.worldweddingcustoms.com/wedding_customs/wedding_traditions/french_wedding_customs.html