I saw the French term used for "Window Shopping" on in a Paris trip report some time ago. It was "Window Licking". Made the mistake of mentioning it to my wife, who loved the concept. Since we will be in Paris briefly in September, she wants to know the French for this. (Damn Fodors!)

Can anyone help.

lèchement de fenêtre I think!

It's "lèche-vitrine", as in "J'aime faire du lèche-vitrine" (I love to go window shopping).

It may be worth noting that the term 'Window Lickers' is, in the UK, a derogatory term for the mentally handicapped.

Thank you all for the information -- At least my wife thanks you. I just wonder what her new knowledge is going to cost me. Not the window licking part; it's when she likes what she sees in the window enough to actually go inside that gives me goosebumps.

I believe it was my report where you saw the term.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34554408

If you are going to Paris any time soon, nukesafe, you will hit the summer sales in the same way Marcy and I did the winter sales. So maybe you needn't be so fearful of your wife's effect on your wallet (well, sort of).

Is she a child? Whose money is she using? Is it equally hers? Are you Big Sugar Daddy?

Don't be pecky peeky. I think the poster was just making a joke, tongue in cheek. Or maybe peeky was being cheeky.

It may be worth noting that the term 'French' is, in the UK, a derogatory term for the mentally handicapped.

What a dreadful, racist comment. Fodors should remove this posting immediately.

You are so right I was being cheeky thinking about the poor woman asking her hubby to buy her something and maybe even tugging on his sleeve and wimpering. I'll go back to work now, bye bye. I love fodors.

Actually, I agree with you, peeky. Every time I read a post that implies The Little Wife has to get an allowance from her breadwinner husband it makes me cringe. I never remark on it because for all I know, Mr. Poster works hard every day and Mrs. Poster sits home eating bon bons and watching the full-time help clean the house. But if they both work, or if he works while she is the domestic goddess and full-time childrearer, then what's with the "it's-going-to-cost-ME" attitude?

(Nothing personal, nukesafe. You're just the catalyst for my diatribe.)

I don't get what's "racist" about Brits calling the French names. People of both countries have used derisive epithets on each other for centuries.

Window shopping is done by men and women or husbands and wives alike.
I would never equate the term with one spouse or another having to ask for money to shop.
My husband actually is a Champion Window Shopper, although he does scowl at the idea of Licking Windows

I think it's an ugly term and would never use it: It sounds coarse and lubricious.

I celebrate the inventiveness of American English.

But does the world really need this term -- especially as it lacks the key attribute of most successful slang: to be understandable without explanation.

Just asking......

tedgale, you are more in a French speaking area that I..do they use this term there?
I never heard of it before the trip report that revealed the French term for Window shopping..Perhaps, as in a French Kiss, licking is not so bad to them
Lubricious is such an excellent word btw~

Tedgale, I agree with you. French is a beautiful language and usually the expressions are lovely but window shopping is not one of them.

Peeky,

I am sorry I lit a fire under a member Of NOW. I was trying to be a bit humerous about what I think is a deligtful French phrase -- drooling at lovely goods that one can't afford in a shop window.

Not that it is any of your business, but our money is ours. It is not a bottomless pot, unfortunately. Our rule is that the other party is not allowed to groan, kvetch, grimace, frown,fidget, or in any other way express disapproval when the other sees something they "just HAVE to have".

Each of us does, however, reserve the right to whimper a bit in private when paying the bills after we get back.

I did an Internet search to see if I could find any comment about regionality/ regionalisms, in response to Scarlett's query.

As the term appears on an official Quebec government website, I guess it is considered standard idiom.

My comment was just: Let's NOT infect English usage with this import.

Quite. After all, you don't know who (or what) has licked it before you.