Love in France

Bonjour,

The language of love is easily translated into the beautiful people that live in France.  It is easy to fall in love with France, both with the country, the way of life and the people.  Love in France is nothing less than expected, or the unexpected.  Love and relationships have changed drastically though out the years but are still as romantic as in the beginning.

During the medieval and renaissance periods, the bride’s wedding dress was created from an average dress and embellished with jewelry, embroidery, laces, and small ribbons, and beading.  Up until the 19^th century brides wore just about every color of dress for the ceremony, including black.  The color the bride decided to wear sometimes symbolized a past relationship or if the bride was widowed.  Typically the bride wore a blue dress to represent purity and it was later that a white wedding dress’s took the place of the blue gowns.

On the day of the wedding, it is French tradition that the groom meets his bride at her house in the morning of their wedding and escorts her to the wedding chapel.  At the chapel, their families are waiting with flowers and ribbons in celebration.  It is also common that the village children block the couple’s way with ribbons which the bride must cut to symbolize the obstacles they will overcome in their new life together.

After the ceremony rice or wheat, a symbol of prosperity and fertility, is showered over the couple as the walk out.  As the bridal couple leaves the chapel they walk through a flower arch or over leaves scattered in their path outside.

In today’s society French men are quite a bit different.  They are usually very straight forward.  If he's smiles at you and says that he likes you, then that's what it is. Love is not taboo in France today.  French people have very "tight" social groups, if you are friends go out together you will have more of a chance of dating each other.   

Although the French are formal, most initial dates start out quite informal.  In France couples love to walk around the city and sit at cafes and just simply chat.  An ideal first date in France would be very simple yet intimate.   

After getting to know someone for a period of time marriage becomes part of the equation.  Recently more and more couples choose not marry and other options of unions are beginning to surface.  The religious ceremonies no longer have the legal value that they once did.  Couples flock to city hall to be legally married in a less than spectacular wedding.  The couple receives a “Livret de famille.”  This is a common occurrence that is kept though out the marriage and entails the woman’s change of last name and information on the birth and death of their children.

Another form of marriage that is becoming popular are "PACS" (Pacte Civil de Solidarité).  PAC’s are contracts between two people (men and/or women) that has legal effects of marriage.  Within the PAC there is a common understanding on; common property, tax effects, social protection, but can be terminated like any other contract.

Love in France may have changed drastically over the decades, but the passion of falling in love under the cities lights is still nothing less than romantic.

Je t'aime