Local customs & traditions : France

We keep travelling and we landed in France. Being in a country gives us the opportunity to discover the different traditions and local customs. When we think about France, we associate culture with Paris. A centre of fashion, cuisine, art and architecture. Life outside of the City of Lights is different and varies by region.

In France most of the holidays and celebrations are the same. They celebrate the traditional Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter. They have May Day, known as Labor Day, on May 1. Bastille Day is celebrated on July 14, the day that the Bastille fortress in Paris was stormed by revolutionaries to start the French Revolution.

We have experienced that the French take immense great pride in their nation and government, the French feel offended when someone gives negative comments about the country. This is the reason why some tourist interpret the attitude as rude and impolite. Another atmosphere is chauvinism. In France members think that their own gender is better than those of the opposite sex. Women are playing a bigger role now but many people still see the culture as a male-dominated one.

In France we have met some nice people and they have told us a lot of stories. One girl named Steffie told us about the Easter Fish. It is a French tradition on April first. Children make fish out of paper and pin them to the backs of adults. Steffie told us she got a April fish to her back and she went to school like that for a whole day. At night she realized why everyone was laughing with her.

At last I remember another important aspect in France. There is a French speaking custom were you have to remember to use ‘vous’ and you do not use ‘tu’ when you address to a stranger or someone who is older. It is only at the moment someone asks you to use ‘tu’ that you can use it.

We are having the time of our lives and I have to stop writing. Dinner is served and we have to eat.

You will hear from me soon!

Sources:

http://www.livescience.com/39149-french-culture.html

http://french.lovetoknow.com/Customs_of_French_Culture

http://french.lovetoknow.com/French_Social_Customs

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