10 Comments

  1. Great article Susan! It's three kisses on our side of the Luberon too (Bonnieux).

  2. Susan, you've nailed it again! I'll give you an on the spot report on the Languedoc …sometime this winter!
    Well done, this! Wherever did you find that map! What a hoot!

  3. Love this and I have been involved in a few akward moments…but not in France or even Europe. It was in Ecuador where I reached out to shake a gentleman's hand and he said no, no, no this is how we do it in Ecuador and he promptly kissed me on both cheeks…I later learned that Ecuadorians try to emulate the French in all aspects of life. Ecuadorians first choice in vacation destinations is Paris. Denise

  4. Other cultures have their kissing rituals. Many, many years ago at a party in London I met a young lady from Poland. As we parted she held out her hand, palm down and fingers slightly curled. I shook her hand though that seemed rather awkward. As a result of this encounter I was invited to Poland. Not having my motorcycle insured for trips behind the iron curtain, I had to find another insurance company and lighted upon the splendidly named Baltic and Black Sea Insurance Company. At their office I waited for the agent, a very courtly gentleman, to finish with another client (a Polish lady) and noticed that as she left she held out her hand, palm down. Whereupon the agent, with a slight click of the heels, bent and kissed the back of her hand. This was such a nice gesture, involving not only a kiss but a bow, as a mark of respect. Subsequently, in Poland, I found this piece of knowledge as to what to do when a lady holds out her hand indispensable. Brian.

  5. "Abuzz with bises…" What a perfectly lovely, bi-alliterative, onomatopoetic phrase! Very clever.

    We had the same issue in Venezia – left first? Right first? Always two. I just wait for the other person's head to start veering in one direction before I start in!

    Fun post, Susan! Thanks! ~ David

  6. Once again, you hit the nail on the head. Yes, a sense of humor is mandatory, especially regarding the myriad humbling situations one encounters each day living here in Provence. Kind of like being a perpetual adolescent at a school dance. Awkward, embarrassed, but giving it a go with your best smile.

  7. Hi Denise, That is so interesting about the Ecuadorian love of the French! It is fun to learn what other countries do to greet one another. Thanks so much for your note!

  8. Thanks, Kathy…maybe we could do an observational study of Luberon greeting behavior. I wouldn't mind touring markets and sitting in cafes all day to record my observations!

  9. Ever wonderdered whatever happened to "air kisses" ? After that lovely romantic blog, I couldn't get kisses off my mind. There were kisses, kisses everywhere flying through the air.
    The air kisses simply didn't know where to land. Should it be the right cheek or the left ? Finally one day there was a big slip and one landed on the lip ! (Apparently he had NO savoir-faire!!).

  10. I loved this article. I have been struggling with "faire la bise" Moroccan style. In Morocco, it's one kiss on the left and two on the right. Until I figured it out, my sequence on the exchange was always off.

Comments are closed.