Culture, Customs and Etiquette for France: Traveller Guide

First impressions matter

For France, politeness no be optional, na di social currency. Di single most important rule: always say bonjour when you enter shop, board bus, or approach anybody for help. If you skip am, e fit come across as rude. After 6 pm, switch to bonsoir. When you dey leave, au revoir and smile go carry you far.

Greetings: di kiss and di handshake

Di famous bise (cheek kiss) na for friends and family, usually two light pecks wey go start from di right, though Provence often dey do three and parts of di north dey do four. Wit strangers or for business, firm handshake na di standard. Address people as Monsieur or Madame until dem invite you to use first names, and use vous instead of di informal tu wit anybody wey you no know well.

Dining etiquette

French meals na unhurried rituals. Keep both hands visible for di table, no put am for your lap. Bread dey go directly for di tablecloth, no be for your plate, and you go tear am instead of bite am. Wait make di host say bon appetit before you chop. If you talk say you don full, e dey fine, but if food remain for your plate, e dey more accepted than to over-pile your plate.

• No ask for doggy bag for fine restaurant, though e dey slowly become acceptable
• Dem go pour wine for others before dem pour for demself
• Coffee dey come after dessert, e no dey come wit di meal

Tipping norms

Service don already dey inside by law (service compris), so tipping no necessary like how e be for North America. For good service, round up or leave one to two euros for cafe na generous; for nicer restaurant, five to ten percent dem go appreciate but e no be obligation. Taxi drivers and hotel staff go appreciate one or two euros.

Dos and donts

• Do lower your voice for restaurants and public transport; loud voice go read as impolite
• Do dress neat, French people value presentation pass flashy logos
• No switch straight to English; even if your French dey clumsy, dem go warmly receive am
• No discuss money or salary; dem see am as crude
• Do queue and respect personal space for markets and bakeries

Traditions wey worth knowing

Lunch na sacred thing, plenty shops dey close between noon and 2 pm, especially outside Paris. Sundays dey quiet, na family days. Apero (pre-dinner drinks) na beloved social ritual. National pride dey run deep around food, wine, and di language, so if you praise regional specialty, e go earn you instant goodwill.

Stay connected for France

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