5 French Habits that Changed My Life 🇫🇷 Slow living, Simplicity & Small pleasures

[@Nora_A]

Thank you so much for watching this video! 💖If you need help moving to Paris, make sure to check out my new guide 'How to Move to Paris' : noraaradi.com/b/ITizP 🇫🇷✈

[@erickjerland1281]

I saw a documentary on Josephine Baker. How the French accepted her for what she was. Where in the USA there was a lot of discrimination against Blacks at the time. Especially in the southern part of the US. Her celebrity status didn’t matter in the US at the time. There’s a lot of things I like about French culture.

[@bungee7503]

Perhaps: try being of Arab background.

[@hori166]

See my comment about Americans. There still is a LOT of discrimination. Conservatives were outraged that a Black managed to become president even though he had played by all the rules that they themselves measure success. I'm sure many referred to Obama as that n- - - - - r in the White House.

[@lucd2320]

Look up the story of a man named Eugene Bullard; it's very interesting. He's an US soldier who fought for France in WWI and WWII. I'll let you discover his story; it's much more than that.

[@tixien]

Josephine Baker is a French legend. Gaston Monnerville, born in French Guyana (South America), was the President of the French Senate for more than 20 years, from 1947 to 1968. According to the French Constitution, this position is the second most important one after the President of the Republic; if the latter is incapacited, the former takes over pretty much as a US VP would. It doesn’t mean there’s no xenophobia in France of course, but overall it’s not a racialised country.

[@pierre-frederickgalland5810]

That was also why so many black jazzmen came to France to play and becoming famous. Playing at St Germain des Prés in Jazz clubs. Sydney Bechet, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis were those of them. Miles Davis later said: while invited to the Paris International Jazz Festival, discovered a city in full excitement in May 1949. He would later write in his autobiography: "It was my first trip abroad, and it forever changed my outlook on things. I loved being in Paris, I loved the way they treated me. [...] That's where I met Jean-Paul Sartre, Pablo Picasso and Juliette Gréco. I had never felt so good in my life.”

[@bartonwishart9994]

Hello Helena ...The fundamental difference that I have seen during my years of study in France ( I 'm Scottish ) is a philosophy of existence which can be summarized in a simple way : the important thing is not to succeed "in life" but to succeed YOUR life ... the nuance is essential and explains those things that many foreigners do not understand ... especially Americans and Asians .

[@didzz4275]

Well said. Vive l'Ecosse !

[@berbersissi]

So well said - this is the right approach for the French people. Bravo l’Ecossaise pour avoir mis en avant la philosophie de la grande majorité des français- Vive l’Ecosse !

[@benjaminlamey3591]

I am french, I have never taken 2 hours for lunch and 99% of teh people I know do not take such breaks. I guess only the people in Paris do that, but that is not real france. but we clearly take the necessary time to have a good meal without rushing. it is a lunch break not a pit stop. Regarding cooking, buter is in the north, in the south it is olive oil. But 100% agreement, fat is equal to taste, but only good fat like butter, duck or a proper olive oil.

[@razitatebug7067]

You are so gorgeous I'm happy you mentioned Helena woods, I follow her calm life videos Some other u tubers won't dare to mention the name of others for reasons best known to them

[@gpparis2023]

Slow living? I nail that!

[@Ender-jv2hg]

I work in La Défense, the business district of Paris, and it's rare to take 2 hours for lunch. And in my previous companies it was similar. And when there's an emergency, we sometimes have lunch in 15 minutes and work late. Not all jobs are the same, there are a lot of differences depending on the profession.

[@Pizzageek-jc4xp]

I don't know anybody who takes 2 hour lunch break in France.

[@ep7503]

Yes do not confuse duration and time frame!

[@drnicolebeaumont7884]

Your explanation about French discussion about topics almost in a debate style has just unlocked something I never knew. Thank you

[@Nora_A]

❤️❤️ thank you!!

[@lours6993]

Lived in Paris over 20 years. No one takes a 2 hr lunch break these days, unless we go out to a restaurant.

[@dina_kazakova]

You are telling about this really passionately and it inspires me to live in France at least for a month

[@caroldavison2970]

I always feel so comfortable in France-- enjoyed your descriptions of contributing French habits that create that special vibe.

[@sidji.off-duty]

I am happy that this has been your experience in France and I hope that many people get to live such a dream-like version of our country! Unfortunately, as someone who has grown up in France, I never saw any of this, unless you are very wealthy and/or have not had work ethics engrained into you from a very early age. My parents and grandparents never took long lunch breaks and, when I was little, I always heard about them rushing to just get to the grocery store before it closes (at 7 PM, when my father was just getting to the train station after a long commute). I was taught that work always came first and that I was lazy if I took time for fun past the age I got into middle school. As for debating, it depends on the group of people you are with. Looking around on the subway or in the street, I rarely see that "effortless elegance" you mention, unless you are in a nice neighborhood. Just look at the French "Classes Préparatoires" system, which has no equivalent in the world as far as I know (not to say that highly competitive and demanding studies do not exist elsewhere, but the sheer amount of hours spent in class studying a broad range of subjects and the frequency of tests is staggering)... Anyways, just your "don't generalize from what you see online" PSA.

[@helenawoods]

Wow!! SO pretty! And so nice to find a fellow creator in France! 💕Beautiful film!

[@Nora_A]

Aww, thank you so much Helena, I really appreciate it! 🥺❤

[@rebeccauichorbaidh7297]

Lol so true. I'm living in France 5yrs....and the debate is fab...apart from at school when my students argue with me grrrr :)

[@Nora_A]

hihi, love this ❤

[@tixien]

Hihihi These kids keep you on your toes, don’t they?😂🤣😂 Critical thinking is so healthy.

[@HarrisPilton789]

I absolutely ❤ this video. I noticed the same things when I visited my sister who lives in 🇫🇷.

[@mahgolalpha]

Hey! I love your videos

[@Nora_A]

Great idea, I'll see what I can do, thank you! ☺

[@nagarajr9632]

Nice life like video❤❤

[@maryamm5825]

Love ittt 😍

[@Nora_A]

Thank you ❤

[@benjaminsia9004]

To debate is "débattre" in french which could litterally be translated: to un-battle. It means that you avoid the physical fights by debating with words. Dunno if it's related with the fact that the french are the people who fought the most wars.

[@themenopausalmaverick]

I'm in France travelling at the moment but would like to spend more time here but Brexit has spoiled this ! I've considered buying land or property in the future but not sure where to start ❤France !

[@phylis3917]

Fabulous and healthy.

[@phylis3917]

and thank you.

[@JeffZappa]

I was definitely different eating a sandwich on a bench in 15-30 minutes when I was working in Paris in the 90s

[@alejandrorodriguez4189]

Love this 🫶

[@Nora_A]

Thank you so much! ❤

[@phylis3917]

Herein lies the simplicity. 💕

[@scarletdvore1459]

Good stuff…

[@gachacados]

It’s not that in America that we just accept it, it’s just that if we do we get grounded, or expelled. My friend got expelled for arguing on a subject in math. My friend was right-

[@theblackdogandme]

I am curious if what you say is true is really only true in Paris and the big cities? It doesn't seem the case in the country, particularly clothing.

[@dbaker3751]

Helena, where are you originally from? Is it either Italy or Spain?

[@couvertgerard7742]

Apéro 17 h. repas 19h. vous êtes sure d'habiter en France ?

[@redford4ever]

1h lunch break. Be we take it. But no, not 2h. Also it's not slow. It's actual pause, and resume. Don't come work in Paris expecting the pace to be chill. Bu yeah, work call at home, while absolutely a thing, aren't a prerogative. The employee can say "I can't now" or even send a vibe of "don't call me at home" and the boss will typically have to comply. You can't fire people easily in France so everyone is a bit more stuck with each other and management is a bit more about finding good cooperation with people (although it's not a massive switch either and the system very much has its own issue. Missing the anglo work framework is perfectly understandable IMO)

[@LilaVert-FR]

A lot of clichés... What you say regarding lunch breaks is exaggerated (1 hour break is common, 2 hours certainly not). The "art of slow living" applies to people with no kids leaving in Paris, but not at all to couples with kids living in the suburbs. And I laughed at the effortless elegance. What you describe is a microcosm, very Parisian. The only 2 things which are true everywhere is the importance of pleasure and the fact that french people mostly work to live and not the other way round.

[@yann3784]

"At work for example, people have at least a 2 hour lunch break": Absolutely not! I dont'know where you live in France, but this is absolutely not true!!.

[@Adèle9988]

Well in small towns like Granville where I live shops and public services still close between 12 noon and 2pm . France (unlike the uk for instance where you can find large cities) has a great number of small towns . Also she might be talking about some workplaces where days are split to meet the rush hours requirement .. Anyway the main thing is that she enjoys being in France.

[@kint87]

Well it depends a lot regarding of where your work Many places of work have mandatory meal rules where you cannot legally take less than one hour pause

[@Nora_A]

All the companies I worked in so far in Paris had 2 hour lunch breaks, and a lot of my employee friends have the same experience here. But I know it depends on the company and the contract you have, but that's just my own experience + of a lot people I know! :)

[@guillaumeperocheau6445]

Je suis français, mes pauses font 1h30 minimum

[@francoisdouaisi9720]

Technically, Lunch Break doesn’t exists. It’s the standard break put at lunch time (meaning you don’t have more legal break time in the day). So the minimum time for Lunch Break is 20 minutes. In reality, it’s often a bit more EXCEPT when office is closed for lunch (which is the case for many third sector job sector except food store) lunch break is the time of closing. Break are unpaid time, so it’s not a problem if it’s so long.

[@thenesia1206]

Your lips so pretty! what colour and brand? 😍

[@Nora_A]

It's the 250 from 3ina ☺

[@lisasatiyem545]

😂😂😂 no rush, 2 hours lunches...... where in France ..... live for 20 years in Paris and have not find these......

[@pierrelong6283]

how wonderful to be so rich, what do the rest of the people who have to work to make money do ?

[@hanaluong2672]

That's why France might go bankrupt in the future. I don't know if Macron has raised the retirement age yet.

[@jptronic]

Pourquoi tu finis toutes tes phrases avec une voix de robot ?

[@DarkDarma22716]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnOXqKSmhNp5ercsi=tBT3Elu5oPUr6RXL ca s'appelle le voice fry, c'est typiquement américain

[@jptronic]

@@DarkDarma22716 Certes, mais ma question c'était : pourquoi ?

[@Adèle9988]

That’s very unkind of you . Let her be ...

[@athrunzala6770]

@@Adèle9988 il essai juste de comprendre le pourquoi la c'est toi tu es mechant avec lui

[@Liffster]

She is obviously not a native English speaker, so she has learned that way of speaking.