Why Falling In Love with a Frenchman Isn’t all Clichés!

Last Updated on 4th December 2022 by Sophie Nadeau

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The French are a passionate bunch. Especially if you happen to falling in love with a Frenchman… You only have to walk along the rue for approximately 2.5 seconds before being treated to a cacophony of horns and angry screams. No ‘pardon my French here’, this is real French and it’s all exaggerated gestures and dirty swear words simply because someone dared stop for a feu rouge.

Like every other English expat girl, I was raised on a good dose of Hollywood drama, Frenchmen in films were like real-life Prince Charmings; saving the damsels in distress, opening doors for their girlfriends, buying flowers for their significant others just because…

Last year, I moved to France (and wrote about the top differences between London and Paris) for the first time in my life. Shortly after that, I met my French boyfriend. In an even shorter space of time, I realised that really dating a real Frenchman was nothing like the movies. So here is why falling in love with a Frenchman isn’t all clichés!

You’re exclusive from the get go

We went out on one date. Next thing I know, I’m meeting his Mum. There was never any kind of DTR (define the relationship talk). It was simply taken that we were together and that was that!

From day one, they’re all in

If you’re falling in love with a Frenchman, or even think you are, then better take note of this one! There’s no waiting for three days before calling you. There are no mind games. They call you the next morning and then the next, no questions asked. For the longest time, I was convinced he might be a serial killer: “Eh, why you never reply?” “Is it over?” Chill out, it’s only been three hours…

They’re always late!

And sometimes they don’t show up at all. It doesn’t mean that they don’t like you. They simply had other things to do…

Politics is standard dinner conversation!

Nothing says mood killer more than talking David Cameron and François Hollande. I love deep and meaning philosophical conversations as much as the next person, but can we not talk about the latest episode of Orange is the New Black for once?

He doesn’t drink half as much wine as you’d expect

And less than half of what you drink…

He says ‘je t’aime’ within two weeks

And from then on, he says it several times a day. Like I said, they’re a passionate bunch!

Dates aren’t all romantic with flowers…

Our first date was drinking wine along the Seine…

Lost in translation!

‘No, I don’t hate you. It’s called sarcasm’. So many petty arguments arise from an inability to understand each other’s humour. However, French is a beautiful language and what better way to learn than with a handsome Frenchman?

At the end of the day, he’s just a regular guy

Who happens to be French…