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PurpleFox
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Number 1: It’s all about the food. Géraldine recommends a good restaurant as optimal first date territory. But the most direct way to a French woman’s heart is to offer to cook for her - “even if it’s something very simple, she’ll be very impressed,” she says.
Number 2: Accents are sê×ÿ. “As a foreigner you have an advantage - providing you make the effort to speak French. Ten basic phrases will do. Play up your accent because it makes you sexier. English men, in particular, don’t realize how cute French women find their accent.”
Number 3: Go for a classic French look. “I always advise the expats on my course to observe how their French friends dress and to do the same," says Lepère. "French men go for good cuts and fabric rather than vivid colour. But beware of dressing up too much. Iron a nice shirt and wear some well-cut jeans with leather shoes. And never, ever wear trainers!”
Number 4: You can never pay her enough compliments. “In France, it’s very common for men to compliment women - even if they’re not dating - so you need to make a special effort," says Lepère. "Foreign men are often surprised, because it seems as though French people are flirting all the time. But in France, paying a compliment is merely a form of acknowledgment. ‘Vous êtes ravissante, mademoiselle’ can be quite effective. But never make the mistake of saying 'Madame.'"
Number 5: Don't get drunk. “Only French students have occasional drunken dates. After university, it’s not an acceptable thing to do," says Lepère. "In France, you will never see people drunk on the street, and they generally only drink at mealtimes.”
Number 6: Get the present right. Good old-fashioned chivalry never goes amiss, according to Géraldine. “It’s always a good idea to buy her flowers. She won’t appreciate chocolates because she won’t want to get fat. And save the ******** for much later in the relationship.”
Number 7: Pay for everything! “The man should always pay, especially at the beginning. If you asked me out on a date and then expected me to pay, there’s no way I’d go out with you again," warns Lepère. "If you truly must, split the bill.”
Number 8: Don’t be too keen. “The man should always ask the woman out, but only after she’s made it clear that she’d like to go out with him. Remember that dating is a game. Stick to text messages and don’t send messages too often,” says Géraldine.
Number 9: Normal French people don’t have secret affairs. "Don’t be fooled by the cliché of the adulterous French man or woman," says Géraldine, though she admits that the Dominique Strauss-Kahn ******* hasn’t helped to dispel this stereotype. Neither has the apparently forgiving way his wife dealt with it. "I can assure you that normal French people aren’t like that.”
And last but not, least, Number 10: There are no rules! “We don’t follow strict dating rules here, as so many people do in the US, for example. It was once estimated that, in France, the timescale between a first kiss and having *** can be anything from 20 seconds to two years.”
Number 2: Accents are sê×ÿ. “As a foreigner you have an advantage - providing you make the effort to speak French. Ten basic phrases will do. Play up your accent because it makes you sexier. English men, in particular, don’t realize how cute French women find their accent.”
Number 3: Go for a classic French look. “I always advise the expats on my course to observe how their French friends dress and to do the same," says Lepère. "French men go for good cuts and fabric rather than vivid colour. But beware of dressing up too much. Iron a nice shirt and wear some well-cut jeans with leather shoes. And never, ever wear trainers!”
Number 4: You can never pay her enough compliments. “In France, it’s very common for men to compliment women - even if they’re not dating - so you need to make a special effort," says Lepère. "Foreign men are often surprised, because it seems as though French people are flirting all the time. But in France, paying a compliment is merely a form of acknowledgment. ‘Vous êtes ravissante, mademoiselle’ can be quite effective. But never make the mistake of saying 'Madame.'"
Number 5: Don't get drunk. “Only French students have occasional drunken dates. After university, it’s not an acceptable thing to do," says Lepère. "In France, you will never see people drunk on the street, and they generally only drink at mealtimes.”
Number 6: Get the present right. Good old-fashioned chivalry never goes amiss, according to Géraldine. “It’s always a good idea to buy her flowers. She won’t appreciate chocolates because she won’t want to get fat. And save the ******** for much later in the relationship.”
Number 7: Pay for everything! “The man should always pay, especially at the beginning. If you asked me out on a date and then expected me to pay, there’s no way I’d go out with you again," warns Lepère. "If you truly must, split the bill.”
Number 8: Don’t be too keen. “The man should always ask the woman out, but only after she’s made it clear that she’d like to go out with him. Remember that dating is a game. Stick to text messages and don’t send messages too often,” says Géraldine.
Number 9: Normal French people don’t have secret affairs. "Don’t be fooled by the cliché of the adulterous French man or woman," says Géraldine, though she admits that the Dominique Strauss-Kahn ******* hasn’t helped to dispel this stereotype. Neither has the apparently forgiving way his wife dealt with it. "I can assure you that normal French people aren’t like that.”
And last but not, least, Number 10: There are no rules! “We don’t follow strict dating rules here, as so many people do in the US, for example. It was once estimated that, in France, the timescale between a first kiss and having *** can be anything from 20 seconds to two years.”