French etiquette | Small Kitchen Garden Tips and Tricks

Knowing what etiquette demands of you in certain situations helps you behave in the manner best suited to that place. Etiquette is basically behavior norms which are socially acceptable, approved and even expected. Since etiquette is defined by the society in which you live, it is understandable that different societies and cultures have different etiquette demands. Hence if you’re in another country, it helps to know the etiquette followed there so that you don’t do something wrong.

If you’re visiting France it helps to know what French etiquette is. One of the first stumbling blocks for visitors is how to greet someone in France. French etiquette demands that in a formal meeting a firm handshake and a verbal greeting works best. In an informal meeting, French etiquette is generally to kiss two or three times on alternate cheeks. These kisses are not the wet and sloppy kinds but are more like a brushing of the cheeks and air kisses.

French etiquette is also very particular about greetings. Be it the elevator or the grocery store, it is likely that someone will greet you, and French etiquette demands that you return the greeting appropriately. This greeting will generally involve the French for ‘Hello’, ‘Goodbye’ or ‘Thank you’ along with ‘Miss’, ‘Mrs.’, ‘Mr.’ etc.

French etiquette has also been defined for situations like going to somebody’s house for dinner or drinks. When invited for dinner it is not necessary to take a gift. However if you are taking something, it is best to take something small from your own country like some traditional biscuits or marmalade etc. Since the French are experts in wine, take a bottle of wine only if you know it’s something special and not a cheap supermarket variety.

When invited for drinks, again a gift is not necessary. If you want you could take some fruit or a plant from your own garden for your host.

Attending a wedding can be tricky especially when it comes to gifts. French etiquette is not particularly touchy about wedding gifts. The best thing to do of course is to follow the wedding list (registry) given by the couple. Cash also works well for couples with their own house. If you know the couple well then you can take a more personal gift.

French etiquette also differs in table manners in some ways. Of course there are the common rules of not being late for dinner, of dressing according to the occasion etc. However French etiquette demands that you don’t start eating until the hostess says ‘bon appetit’. French etiquette also requires that you don’t butter your bread at a meal and instead use the bread to wipe up the juices on the plate after every course. French etiquette also suggests that if you don’t want any more wine you should leave your glass half full.