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How the French get their "Je Ne Sais Quoi"
Nassie Angadi
Wondering how where French people get that delightful "Je ne sais quoi"? Wonder no more, with these tips you too will be able to pull off that can Parisian
insouciance.
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Cook Time
7
days
d
Total Time
7
days
d
Course
Living in France
Serving
1
Parisian
Equipment
One Parisian sneer
On hand
1x
2x
3x
Striped shirt
Classic trench
Scarf
Instructions
Clothing
Wear
matching underwear
.
Claim to not own a
single sweatpant
or set of tights.
Dress up fully before you go outside to throw out the garbage.
Wear a
black bra
under a white t-shirt.
Buy your spouse a mauve slim-cut pant.
Laugh at tourists walking around with a beret.
With Friends
Know how to say "
putain
"
to express sadness, anger, joy, disgust, surprise, and confusion.
Know how to pull off the multiple "la's" in Ohh la la la la la la!
Do not respond to messages from friends who ask you if you are available for drinks.
Plan drinks with friends 3 months ahead of schedule.
Do the "
bises
"
to everybody (man or woman).
Never talk about money.
Regularly complain about the government in power.
Spend 4 hours over dinner complaining about the government in power.
Food and Drink
Two sips of
coffee in a tiny cup
is fine, you do not need a Starbucks size mug.
Line up for 20 minutes up to buy a €1.50 baguette.
Buy a €30 wine from Nicolas (a fine wine store) when a €3 wine from the supermarket would have been fine.
Have a piece of baguette, ham, and cigarette for dinner.
Eat only soup in the winter, but declare that you don't diet.
Don't be afraid to tell anyone if they have lost weight or put on a few kilos.
Around Town
Carry
a reusable tote bag
everywhere.
Ride a bicycle regularly without a helmet.
Be confident enough to ignore the
rules of the road
when riding that bike.
Know where to place your Pass Navigo in your purse/wallet so that you can scan through the metro without taking it out.
Buy flowers regularly.
Know that the correct way to carry your flowers in the metro is upside-down.
Visit the doctor because your legs feel "heavy".
At Home
Do not put curtains or blinds on your windows so that everyone can see your "je ne sais quoi".
Live in a building with no elevator. It is good for the butt anyway.
Scoff at people who move outside of Paris.
Move outside of Paris when you expecting your first baby.
Notes
If you feel yourself losing your "Je ne sais quoi", book a flight to Paris immediately to re-immerse yourself in more Frenchness.
Keyword
je ne sais quoi
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