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Combien de bises?
Have you ever heard a French person say "Ici, c'est trois !" or "Ici, c'est deux"? They're of course talking about bises.
Faire la bise to say hello or goodbye to family, friends, or friends of friends is a true ritual in France. This custom sometimes makes foreigners laugh, especially Anglo-Saxons.
And here's the cherry on top: the number of bises to greet someone varies by region!
Most French people do two bises, but in some regions, you can do up to four. For example, people do three bises in Montpellier and four in parts of Normandy.
Another question to consider: should you start with the right cheek or the left? Once again, it depends on the region. In Paris or Brittany, you offer the right cheek. In southern France, you offer the left. If you go the wrong way, the situation can get very awkward - especially if you're greeting, say, your girlfriend's father. You might end up mouth to mouth with him!
Consider yourself warned.
Jour 3 – Mon carnet de français