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Cheek kissing is a social gesture to show friendship, and family connection, perform a greeting, to show respect.
The number of kisses people give in France depends on where they live. In Provence, for example, the residents exchange three pecks on the cheek. But venture up to Nantes, and they will go one step further and give four.
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Kissing in France is varying from province to province. A popular French joke says that you may understand the city you are in by counting the number of cheek kisses. It is widespread, in the southern region of France, even among males, be they, relatives or friends, whereas, in the north, it is less common for two unrelated males to do cheek kissing.
In some province start kissing with the right cheek and move on to the left, but in other parts of the nation, people start with the left cheek.
I still remember the feeling of panic when I attended a party in southern France back in the seventies. It was time to introduce me to the young women present and my high-school French had not included lessons in air kissing. I was so gauche!
I still remember the feeling of panic when I attended a party in southern France back in the seventies. It was time to introduce me to the young women present and my high-school French had not included lessons in air kissing. I was so gauche!