The Local France https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed When can you drop 'monsieur, madame' and use first names in France? Many anglophones will find France more formal than they are used to, especially in matters of address, so we asked French language expert Camille Chevalier-Karfis how you know when it's time to get friendly. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200817/when-can-you-drop-the-monsieurmadame-and-use-first-names-in-france Mon, 17 Aug 2020 13:14:53 +0200 when-can-you-drop-the-monsieurmadame-and-use-first-names-in-france Bye bye 'la bise': Has Covid put an end to the French greeting kiss? It's banned for health reasons during the pandemic, but will the distinctive French double (or treble or quadruple, depending on where you are) cheek kiss come back once health restrictions are lifted? Eve Hebron examines whether Covid will change France's kissing habits forever. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210420/bye-bye-bise-has-covid-seen-off-the-french-kiss-greeting Tue, 20 Apr 2021 14:28:56 +0200 bye-bye-bise-has-covid-seen-off-the-french-kiss-greeting Why good manners are fading from French life The French were the precursors of politeness, but TV show host and author Princesse Hermine de Clermont-Tonnerre tells The Local the rules of everyday French life are fading. Find out what she blames for the decline in manners. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130604/why-french-manners-thing-of-the-past Tue, 04 Jun 2013 14:32:00 +0200 why-french-manners-thing-of-the-past 'Rude' Parisians try to clean up their act The "City of Light" may draw more tourists than most world capitals, but Paris less than sparkles to the legions of visitors shocked to find its residents can be rude, brusque and snobbish. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130109/rude-parisians-try-to-clean-up-their-act Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:07:53 +0100 rude-parisians-try-to-clean-up-their-act