The “Promised Land” of sensuality: the third and final code to accessing French culture.

Here we are at the final stop on our tour of the three “codes” needed to access French culture and I’ve saved the best for last—the French sense of sensuality and sex.

Once you master this one, you are truly on the inside and you start “to melt” and blend in among its citizens.  But is this promised land the “real France” or the “sensuality” that comes along with it?

First, what exactly is this French sensuality?  Can we just contemplate it or, since we are all living here, can we touch it?  Can we learn it ourselves?

In describing many common products—from perfume to clothing to interior design—marketers employ descriptions referring to a certain French sense of sensuality. We are supposed to know what they mean because first of all, we are foreigners seeing this culture from the outside and second, we contribute to the sensationalism. 

Let’s agree on this, the French have history on their side when it comes to sensuality.

Let’s agree on this, the French have history on their side when it comes to sensuality.

But what about today?

Is sensuality only an advertising slogan that makes money for the fashion industry, only a concept to splash across the pages of can-can magazines?

I think that sensuality is something we all need and that we must search for ourselves each day, far from the spotlight focused on the fashion of the day or the latest fragrance.

Sensuality is a way of being dressed all day long, no matter how simple the event: starting with a walk in the morning across the Parc Monceau when you cross paths with a young women with high hills walking her dog at 8:00 a.m.

starting with a walk in the morning across the Parc Monceau when you cross paths with a young women with high hills walking her dog at 8:00 a.m.

Or when you’ve got Charlotte Gainsbourg on your iPod on a sunny afternoon, drinking a glass of red wine in a street-side café, contemplating the radiant beauty of the woman passing by you.  Women here look at other beautiful women on the street.  To learn, to acknowledge. 

Men have this sensuality, too.  In the morning, when you stumble out of your apartment in search of your croissant or pain au lait, sleepy and dishevelled, a stranger with a silky scarf wrapped around his neck will tell you “je vous trouve très belle.”  Swoon!  But, in this case, do not take this compliment as an example of a French sense of hospitality; he’s being flirtatious, but he will never introduce you to his mother!

As for the famous “French kiss” . . . I will just say that, here, in France, it has a double purpose: the first for the sensual purpose and the second, if he is a descendant of Molière, to improve your French language skills.  As we all know, the best way to learn a language is on a pillow!

As we all know, the best way to learn a language is on a pillow!