French

The One Rule for Seducing the French
It’s understandable that some of you dear readers want to kiss, date, fuck or even marry the French. I discourage it, though; there are so many less complicated and more fun cultures for romance and humping. But I’ve been frequently asked for advice on the topic, and while I have none of my own, I can pass on the …

The Laws of American Dating, as Explained by the French
Taking a step back to look at the weirdness of dating à l’américaine
An afternoon of tasting top-notch wine for free in Paris
Tipsy Pilgrim recently attended the Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants — The Independent Winemakers’ Expo in Paris. This cannot be more highly recommended. First, it’s free, or pretty much free. Officially, it will run you €6 (worth it), and that goes down to €3 for students or if you arrive in a group of …

How French Teenagers Sneak a First Kiss
Believe it or not,[*]. the French go through that same awkward, sexually anxious stage as the rest of us: adolescence. They need strategies, games and excuses to sneak that first kiss. Fortunately, they have oodles; some of the following popular strategies may sound familiar to you, others are uniquely French. 1. “On va pas payer le …

The Foodie on a Budget in Paris: The Cutest, Cheapest, Yummiest Spots Off the Tourist Path
Eating in Paris should be all about small, charming restaurants; exquisite chocolates; and bohemian bars — not the standard tourist nightmare of snarling waiters, seven-language menus, and bland food.
My Frenchman is a great lay but he’s draining my pocketbook
Dear Tipsy Pilgrim, I am a 32-year-old American woman who has recently taken on a French lover. While his 24 years is quite a blessing in the sack, he’s becoming a bit of a burden to my pocketbook. When we go to dinner or out to a show, he never brings quite enough cash, and …
Sexual conquest is codified into what stages in France, Chile and the USA?
Most cultures have slang for reporting the results of a previous night’s rendez-vous. But the French, Chileans and Americans have actually codified their sexual achievements into numbered levels, much to the distaste of the rest of the world. Of course, each country’s numbering system is different. USA Inappropriately, Americans use their most boring sport, baseball, …

What are the best places to kiss and roger your loved one on the streets of Paris?
It is common to want to turn every moment in Paris into a Robert Doisneaux tableau. But location can be everything. We at Tipsy HQ have sacrificed our honor over the years to determine the best spots for P.D.A. à la parisienne. They are: 1. THE SACRED HEART BASILICA OF MONTMARTRE, 2 AM Yes, the …

I want to continue my gluttony, but my stomach is saying it’s full.
The fine folk of Normandy have a solution: the trou normand, or Norman break. In the midst of a decadent, endless-course meal (especially during holidays), les normands are known to take a pause with a small glass of the region’s aged apple-juice brandy, calvados. This supposedly helps to reset digestion and enables one to take …

What has the government done on behalf the Comédie Française to stomp out its competitors?
The Comédie Française, the oldest national theater in the world, is an actor-centered company that has produced some of the world’s greatest talent (e.g. Adrienne Lecouvreur, Sarah Bernhardt, Jean-Louis Barrault). It has not, however, always succeeded on its merits alone: Year Action Result 1680 Louis XIV combines the two extant acting companies to create the …

It’s five in the morning, we’re on fire, and the party is still rolling. What should we do?
Start chopping onions. For the fêtards (partiers) who make it until the wee hours, French tradition stipulates that you whip up a soupe à l’oignon (onion soup). Salty and very delicious after a long night of dancing and drinking, this is the quintessential end to a long soirée. For some reason, foreigners think of this …