French Kissing Tradition Endangered?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 9,023
French Kissing Tradition Endangered?
Anyone who has friends or family in France will well know about the tradition of "fait les bse" (faye lay bees) - the bussing of first one cheek then the other and sometimes back to the other - it seems always two cheeks and sometimes a third cheek kiss
But an NPR report this morning said the tradition of what they called "fait les bse" (not sure of spelling but my French-raised son told me how 'bse' what spelled - if i heard it right - correct me please if wrong) - anyway the threat of a Swine Flu pandemic this fall, highly feared in France like other countries, has caused a great curtailing of casual cheek kissing. One mayor in one town in Languedoc has actually banned public fait les bse-ing and schools, equipped with hand sanitizers understandably must view the kissing with a wary eye.
The report even suggests that the damper on cheek bussing due to Swine Flu may actually cause this long tradition, which i really like, to die out. Hopefully no IMO
Q- My French in-laws seem to kiss twice - on each cheek but if it's a real loving kiss do it three times - what is the common practice?
But an NPR report this morning said the tradition of what they called "fait les bse" (not sure of spelling but my French-raised son told me how 'bse' what spelled - if i heard it right - correct me please if wrong) - anyway the threat of a Swine Flu pandemic this fall, highly feared in France like other countries, has caused a great curtailing of casual cheek kissing. One mayor in one town in Languedoc has actually banned public fait les bse-ing and schools, equipped with hand sanitizers understandably must view the kissing with a wary eye.
The report even suggests that the damper on cheek bussing due to Swine Flu may actually cause this long tradition, which i really like, to die out. Hopefully no IMO
Q- My French in-laws seem to kiss twice - on each cheek but if it's a real loving kiss do it three times - what is the common practice?
#2
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,631
It is une bise or 2 bises. I heard that in a "école maternelle" (school with little children aged from 3 to 5) the pupils were told to give a little sweet to the ones they wanted to kiss instead of a bise.
In Dijon we give 2 and as long as it is not strictly forbidden, we will keep on doing it.
In some other regions they give 3, but I find it disturbing!
In Dijon we give 2 and as long as it is not strictly forbidden, we will keep on doing it.
In some other regions they give 3, but I find it disturbing!
#5
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,351
Should be fun you meeting Coco on September 31st - since it doesn't exist .
Three kisses are the norm here in teh Ntherlands. No one is talking of banning them yet.
I can see that French kissing would give you the flu, but a quick peck or tow (or three) on the cheek? The most vulnerable group - young adolescents are more likely to go in for what we know as French kissing than than a bise
.
.Three kisses are the norm here in teh Ntherlands. No one is talking of banning them yet.
I can see that French kissing would give you the flu, but a quick peck or tow (or three) on the cheek? The most vulnerable group - young adolescents are more likely to go in for what we know as French kissing than than a bise
.
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 9,023
spass - great Q - i believe my in-laws start on my left cheek then the right
curious as to know the answer.
hetismij - Coco has done bamboozled me for the last time! (quoting Andy Brown about the King Fish in Amos and Andy)
curious as to know the answer.
hetismij - Coco has done bamboozled me for the last time! (quoting Andy Brown about the King Fish in Amos and Andy)
#16
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,215
Oki doki - In order to do it correctly I kiss the other person's right cheek but that is then as well MY RIGHT CHEEK - but movement will be to the left...........
Gosh - this kissing etiquette is not easy..........
But thank you for the information. Now I won't confuse Kiss-receivers by interfering with their movement ending almost in touching each other's lips or ruining a hair design or even worst kick our sunglasses off.;-)
SV
Gosh - this kissing etiquette is not easy..........
But thank you for the information. Now I won't confuse Kiss-receivers by interfering with their movement ending almost in touching each other's lips or ruining a hair design or even worst kick our sunglasses off.;-)
SV
#17
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,631
I agree with spassvogel about the right cheek. We already talked about that here and I remember that video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quV0o...eature=related
If you can understand French, this one explains it well too :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI4A6qyggy4
If you can understand French, this one explains it well too :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI4A6qyggy4
#19
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,384
In Spain, rather than "kissing", we put our cheeks together, making the kissing gesture with our lips, but normally we don´t touch the cheek with our lips. Right cheek first (of the kissed one).
No etiquette, it´s like shaking hands. I feel awkward in the US when shaking hands with a girl I´ve just meet, something so common for you.
No etiquette, it´s like shaking hands. I feel awkward in the US when shaking hands with a girl I´ve just meet, something so common for you.
#20
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,026
Argh Me Heartys,
Ye be needin to know the sailor's terms to get this right.
Starboard be to the right lookin forward towards the bow.
Port be to the left, lookin to the bow.
So, with that all said, be it the starboard cheek first or the port side?
dave
Ye be needin to know the sailor's terms to get this right.
Starboard be to the right lookin forward towards the bow.
Port be to the left, lookin to the bow.
So, with that all said, be it the starboard cheek first or the port side?
dave
