Tag Archives | French Kissing

How to Kiss Correctly

The Fighting Couple’s  instructions for perform the perfect kiss!

Now that we have your attention, we want to offer you a cultural primer to correct kissing.  Each county that we have traveled to has its own social kissing customs.  We hope that you have the whole romantic kissing down.  We want to offer some of the other social setting in which kissing is appropriate.

Kissing in parisFrench Kiss:

How could we not start with the French?  While they likely didn’t invent the kiss, they came up with an interesting version.  Parisian social kissing is reserved for family, friends and known acquaintances.  The double cheek kiss is very common in French culture.  Both persons lean slightly forward and lightly touch cheek to cheek or lip to cheek.  Male-female and female-female cheek kissing is very common.  Male to male is less common.  A failure to offer a kiss-kiss is often a sign that two people do not get along.   The kiss is initiated on the left, what else would we expect?  Public displays of affections are a national pastime.

German Kuss:

German’s are much more reserved in their expressions of affection.  The double kiss is common amongst family and the closest of friends.  A warm handshake is appropriate for friends and acquaintances.  Hugs or embraces are also frowned upon in a business social setting.

Italian Bacio:

The Italians follow the French model.  The double kiss-kiss is appropriate for friends and family.  Male-male kisses are also more common.  The Italians have turned the kiss-kiss into an art form.  Public displays of affection between couples is also very prevalent.

Aussies Smooch:

The Aussies are a melting pot of Europe with a heady dose of Limeyness.  The single cheek kiss male to female is fairly commonplace between close friends and family.  Before you book your flight down under, brush up on your kissing!

Spain/Portugal Beso:

Spaniards in particular actively practice the kiss-kiss approach with friends and family.  They do make one deviation from the two kissing countries identified above, they start on the right and move left.

Middle East Peck:

Cheek kissing in the Middle East is very commonplace.  It is typically reserved for expressions between friends and relatives. Cheek kissing male-male is very common. However, cheek kissing between a male and female is usually considered inappropriate, unless within the same family.  “Involved” public displays of affection are forbidden and in some locals illegal.

Girl blowing kissUK Snogging:

The Brits are firmly planted in the nod and shake camp.  A nod in the general direction of a friend or an associate indicates a kind acknowledgement.  A firm handshake and a back slap are also very typical.  For the females, a typical embrace is the elbow grab.  Both parties extend arms and place hands lightly on each other’s elbows.

USA: North

The US has a different set of rules depending on where you are.  For the north eastern part of the US, see UK above.

USA: South 

The refined south is likely the most liberal in allowed affection between friends and associates.  The kiss-kiss is still practiced in much of the south on a female-female and male-female basis.

USA: West

Westerners are a combination of north and south.  Much like the northerners, a handshake works fine in most settings.  Westerners do like to hug close friends and family, especially the male-female variety.   It is not uncommon for two close male friends to hug with a back slap.

Some Hints for Kissing:

Regardless of where you are off to, it is best to “follow the leader” in your selection of affection.  Watch your guide and or those around you for the level of affection required.  Don’t feel that you must kiss someone.  Just because you Italian taxi driver gets you to your destination in time, a kiss is certainly never expected (unless is he is extremely handsome!)  Lip to lip contact is reserved for husband or wife or couples in all the locations that we have traveled.

Now it is time to practice!  Gold luck!  Mwah!  Kiss, Kiss!

Kissing Capitals: Looking for a Nice Place to Kiss

Il n’y a qu’un bonheur dans la vie, c’est d’aimer et d’être aimé.

There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.  ~George Sand

 

We are on a mission to find the best places to plant “the kiss” in the world.  We are calling it our Kissing Capitals.  Our pick for this installment is some “French Kissing” in the South of France: Nice.  The Cote d’ Azur or its better known name the French Riviera offer couples warm sunshine, inviting beaches, lush parks and gardens, sun washed villas and costal paths.  Nice was made for couples!

First off before we start our kissing lessons, a quick French lesson.  How to pronounce Nice.  In the French it is pronounced: Niece.   This little hint will separate you from the great unwashed masses.

So what does Nice have going for it on the kissing front? Grande!

French beach

The blue waters of Nice, France

The Beach

Our first recommendation is the crown jewel of places to smooch, the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean.   The beaches attract everyone from Hollywood starlets to German pensioners.  It important before going to set some expectations.  There is no sand on the beaches in Nice.  It is made up of small stones and pebbles. Bring a chair or you can easily rent one at one of the many vendors.  The beach is divided up in intervals of public and private beaches.  As long as you walk along the water line, you don’t have to pay.  Steal a kiss at one of the little beach front cafes that offer the best of French cuisine, with views to die for.  Better yet plan a moonlight stroll along the surf.

 

Dreamy Eze

Just outside Nice is one of our favorite little French towns, Eze.  This charming town is truly one of the most magical places we have visited in our journeys.  The hill town is perched on a rocky outcropping overlooking the sea.  The 12th century fortification has been transformed into a cluster of little shops lining winding paths.  We highly recommend you take an afternoon and meander in and out of the artisan workshops, and intimate cafes.

french town

Pathway in Eze, France

To plant the perfect kiss, climb the stairs and paths to the crown of the city.  There you will find an amazing reward for your effort: the Jardin exotique d’Èze.  Commence kissing.  The panoramic vistas from the garden are simply breathtaking. Your chaperone for your intimate moment will be 15 white alabaster-like female statues entitled the “Earth Goddess” they are the handiwork of artist Jean-Philippe Richard.  For more pics of these masterworks, please visit our facebook site.

French Flag

View from top of Eze

Français : Chateau de La Napoule

Français : Chateau de La Napoule (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Castle Kissing

-One of the quirkiest places we have visited is the Chateau De La Napoule.  It is one of those off the beaten path treasures that make couple travel wonderful.  We love it for the love story associated with it.  The castle perched on the edge of the sea was constructed in the late 14th century for the Countess of Villeneuve.  Since its construction it has been added to and renovated a number of times.  In the 19th century it was converted into a glass factory.  By 1900 the Chateau had fallen into neglect and disrepair.  In 1918, an American couple Henry Clew Jr. and Marie Clew saw potential in the location, purchased the property.  They fell in love with its charming location amongst cedars and eucalyptus trees.

Henry Clew Jr. was a renowned sculptor, and son of one of the richest bankers of the mid 1800s.  Chateau de La Napoule was a labor of love between Henry and Marie.  Marie focused on creating the wonderful gardens surrounding the property and Henry tackled placing crazy sculptures and reliefs in every nook and corner of the castle.  As the story goes after Henry’s passing, during WWII the Nazi’s occupied the home and Marie disguise herself as a maid and continued to serve at the Chateau to be close to her husband’s memory.

French Chateau

Ornate door of Chateau de La Napoule

The castle in now owned and operated by the La Napoule Art Foundation.  They host a number of art events including an artist in residence program.  Tours of the home and gardens are available.  The tour and stroll through the gardens are highly recommended.

But what about the kissing?  We are saving the best part for last.  Framing one of the entryways of the Chateau is a sign “Once upon a time”.  Find a willing tourist to take the picture, center yourselves under the sign and Smooch!  What a story book picture for you adventure in Nice!

Chateau France

Make your own fairy tale

These are three of our best recommendations for Kissing in Nice.  We could have an entire blog dedicated to “French Kissing”!  Here is some help to find Nice hotels in central locations.  Nice has so much to offer couple travels.  Have you been to Nice?  Did we miss a great kissing location?  Is there a wonderful street side cafe you could recommend?  Please leave us a comment below.