A lesson in table manners from a French Countess

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Etiquette expert Marie de Tilly gives French Connections Plus’s Florence Villeminot a lesson in table manners.
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[@abhishekdadhwal4432]

She was born to guide us about French etiquettes. Just a wonderful lady.

[@AnnikaOrne]

I think this is lovely! I wish I could watch the uncut version of this interview.

[@elyjane5103]

Even after more than 50 years living outside France, I still retain my French table manners.

[@christinelachance8012]

Me too, and I taught my American children!

[@danielkim7841]

We all know you put the baguette on the table on its back in America when no one watches! It is a guilty pleasure! But no one should know you do it!

[@sophiebuckland8634]

For all of those complaining about the many steps involved in the process of eating French cuisine, you MUST keep in mind that THEIR culture is not YOUR culture, and is to be respected despite the differences between yours and theirs. Also, this is fine dining, so yes it's got more rules, and they make logical sense: - You refrain from eating with your hands because it's a casual way to eat in their culture. - You sit after and rise after the host/hostess because it's THEIR home, and THEY made the effort for you, so thus THEY guide the flow of the conversation, the location, the meal and the supper. (Also not too dissimilar to high tea amongst the British). - You have a larger glass for water instead of wine, because getting intoxicated is NOT the wine's prerogative - it's to accentuate the meal. The French, whilst proud as a people in regards to their food (and rightly so), are not the only ones with strange or strict dining rules: - In Japan, if you pass someone food with your chopsticks, it is rude and morbid if the recipient takes the food with their own chopsticks, as this is done in traditional cremation with the bones of the deceased being passed down from family member to family member - In countries like the Philippines and India, they eat many foods with their hands, but in specific ways, such as with the Philippines, they pick the food with the fingers, then they use their thumb to push the food into their mouths Just accept and enjoy the beautiful natures and cultures of our world: they truly open your eyes and allows you to enjoy more of our beautiful world :)

[@Onbehaard]

Hear, hear! Well siad!

[@ashantirobinson7692]

What a wonderful enlightening comment.

[@jenialjessy]

Thanks for this!

[@4bawbees]

Manners cost nothing and maketh man. When in Rome (or in this case, Paris) etc etc

[@littlebird8346]

No one likes French people

[@bilala-f59]

As french, I can tell you that most of the time you won't need all this rules. She's saying true rules, but in 99,99% of the time, you won't need them. So don't be afraid to do a "faux pas" if you're invited in France, it'll be alright.

[@maximus2275]

I once drank wine from a glass that had some water drops and the father of my French girlfriend was not so happy hahaha

[@rohanaabuhassan738]

Pp

[@james-p]

For all the complainers against basic etiquette, there are some things here that are useful in any French dining situation. If you have your hands on your lap, your phone and/or wallet on the table (which wasn't mentioned here), and you're drinking wine by itself (without food), (not to mention the cargo shorts, flip-flops, and graphic t-shirts we Americans seem to favor lol), even in casual restos/bistrots, you may as well wear a sign that reads "Tourist!" And that tends to attract attention from the petty criminal types. As for the rest, at least I feel somewhat prepared should une Parisienne feel the need to have an American at her fancy dinner party :-)

[@elizabethnilsson1815]

Very true about the mobile shorts t-shirts with anything on it drinking wine alone etc.... THAT WOULD USET EVERY MEMBER IN THE TABLE...!

[@dstclair7363]

I loved this! I could listen to the hostess for hours

[@spok_real]

Why the editors gotta cut off so much :( This is better than any other comedy

[@wherewithal1111]

This is so great. The French Connection show is great too. Why can't we subscribe to it specifically, rather than to the entire France 24 channel? I'd love to receive updates when each new French Connection episode is released. I'm sure many others would too! :)

[@простадівчина]

I wish the editor had not cut off/ out so much. Even interrupting the hostess in mid-sentence.

[@karenf7531]

I agree. It was very frustrating

[@elizabethnilsson1815]

THANK YOU TO THE LADY FOR SHARE AND LEARN... !

[@mrpeel3239]

This reminded me when I walked around in squeaky shoes at the Club The cercle de l'Union interalliée!

[@danielkim7841]

As an American, I like to watch KZbin and some of the things about I learned French etiquette: 1) always bring something to the hostess. Even if it is something small like a 2 euro baguette. Never arrive empty handed. 2) French people never put ice in their drinks. They drink room temperature water. Don't ask for ice for your drink! 3) French people don't like loud voices. Always be respectful and use indoor voices. 4) the baguette on the table is very bad luck. If you put the baguette on its back it is like you will bring death into your life. Or it means you earned it through prostitution (on your back). However I believe prostitution is not shameful and there should not be a stigma around it. 5) French people tear bread into pieces by hand whereas in America it is sliced into pieces and put into the bread basket. 6) never ask for butter with your bread! French people only eat butter with bread for their breakfast when they make a special tartine of bread with butter and jam. 7) always say bonjour when you arrive at a restaurant or it is impolite 8) asking what someone does for a career or a living is considered rude when you first meet them. French people work to live not live to work. 9) showing off your wealth is considered vulgar, such as in your car or in your decor.

[@RightGate3]

Wow I all of these apply for Greece too, who knew! Just nr3 could be different depending the circumstances. If it’s a barbecue outside or a dinner party in the garden louder voices are fine but for indoor parties yes indoor voices.

[@clementineclement5757]

The superstition about upside down bread dates back to the days people got decapitated by the executioner. At the baker's , his bread was put upside down so as not to be sold to any other customer who would have avoided it at any cost. . The function was mostly hereditary, so along centuries the tradition was carried on during the "dynasty" of famous Sanson f.i.

[@someonealone3279]

What’s the name of hostess does she have a chanel?

[@L.M1792]

Hands on table for goodness sake, those situations are quite funny enough.

[@denislaurent6635]

What a lovely hostess.

[@AdeshPaul]

Thanks.

[@13hehe]

I adore French culture. Don't complain--these people know a thing or two about good living, quality food, and well, just good taste in general.

[@stevencarrier2466]

I Love Flo!

[@dengabraham1457]

Damn you editor's wanted to learn more

[@virtualvoice9]

What's the point to sitting first when you have guests at the dinner/ lunch party?

[@L_Emir_de_Passy]

She's quite pedantic but she's right about most everything

[@ub69hs]

“Thza bayze off thza vayze”

[@priyadharshiniravi1788]

I dont even know how to use a fork and spoon ... which one goes to which hand 🤣🤣i wonder how my french colleagues see me ..

[@yannileroux5885]

how many table manners do you need to memorize before eating?

[@Onbehaard]

Enough so that you are not being rude or disrepectful. It's just common courtesy.

[@petercdowney]

It's not that hard... right?

[@littlebird8346]

@@Onbehaard That's why no one wants French friends

[@Onbehaard]

@@littlebird8346 Speak for yourself.

[@Vatras888]

You need to learn it as you are a child and remember for the rest of your life. Nothing hard

[@stevenuk]

👍🏼👍🏼

[@dodgermartin4895]

After seeing videos like this, I am so grateful that I'm living in Wallonia, Belgium instead of Paris. Here I can be as American as I wanna be and not worried about any of this...

[@maratshaydullin57]

do you dine with Belgian noblemen often?

[@Onbehaard]

I suspect you wouldn't worry even if you lived in Paris. Table manners in the US are just as particular.

[@HoneyyChai]

That’s epic! This culture is still about as elegant and proper as I’d expect. It’s very pretty

[@user-ot8fb6cr3q]

Florance is so lovely

[@marmite-land]

ze coffee, or ze tisâââââne ?

[@roxanne_george]

Oh brilliant, thank you! Shrimps with a fork... that might take some training 🦐

[@Zipperneck.]

OK, we all know about the rules governing breaking bread, but what about cutting the cheese (breaking wind)?

[@Pandemiclui]

You could hear, see, and even taste her annoyance with her amateur in fine dining manner questions

[@brunowest5027]

That's why France is the biggest market for MC Donalds outside the US haha!!!

[@Nikita-jg5yo]

It's not a dinner, seems more like torture to me

[@juliocalheiros5139]

Several times she touches the hair. This is very "commun", but this is a no-no in every country

[@firstandlastname2390]

😅

[@siddharthb2633]

She is making it up

[@FastFoxx82]

I could stare at Florence the rest of my life...2:12

[@lepetitchat123]

No way would I go to a French dinner party !!

[@juancarloshess2065]

I"ll just go to McDonald's.

[@dcmhsotaeh]

Civilization peak and ebb over the millenia Eastern societies were highly civilized at a time when today's French etc were still ..um ..less civilized The earliest cookery books earliest books on etiquette were from india China etc Just mentioning for a better perspective on the whole issue of "table manners" etc

[@heraclestheodoros2518]

I accept to follow some rules when it comes to dining but too many rules do stress me out. If people remind me about the rules that they did not tell me before I get angry 😤. If I say that this is the last straw that is where all hell breaks loose and I can get very aggressive and nasty. I accept to use utensils 🍴 but I support eating with hands too. Remember that in Ancient Rome, people eat with their hands and utensils 🍴 were used for cooking. So do not ride your high horses and assume that eating with utensils only is the only polite way to eat.

[@kayem3824]

Just eat the damn things. Is this hospitality or torture?

[@princessirulancorrino4695]

If you believe it’s torture then fine, you can eat with your hands and avoid all contact with civilization.

[@kayem3824]

@@princessirulancorrino4695 Eating with your hands is the natural way. Eating with surgical instruments is unnatural and expensive. What you call civilization is more like snobbery.

[@4bawbees]

@@kayem3824 This is Paris , not some dank cave in Jurassic Park darling.

[@tonyclifton265]

what if i need to let rip a massive fart? should i just go up on one cheek and hope it's silent? what if it's "silent but violent" though?

[@brd8764]

Alright. Let's just dine. No fine. And the drink is wine. Good looks only. The home is lonely.

[@pennygeno5629]

no no nono, you are doing it wrong

[@davidrankin8880]

All this stuff doesn't matter! Who would want to eat dinner with people who care about such things lol

[@charles-antoinemalbreze5956]

elle raconte n'importe quoi!!! son père faisait de l'import export au Havre!!! Ladite comtesse de Tlly a épousé le meilleur ami de son premier mari, Pierre Récopé-de Tilly. le grand-père de celui-, monsieur Recopé était garde forestier au chateau de Chantilly!!! comme tous les domestiques, il s'est cru de la race de son maître et a fait rallonger son nom du "de Tilly" , séparé par un trait d'union du Récopé d'origine, puis "de Tlly Blaru" et finalement s'est cru comte!!!! autrement dit, la dame qui donne des leçons d'étiquette est totalement bidon!!!!

[@taijitu688]

Il me semblait bien. J'ai des beaux souvenirs de souper chez les francais mais un diner comme tel aurait me laisser decue et affaimee.

[@heraclestheodoros2518]

I don’t care about the faux pas I make. Some of the rules of the French etiquette are nonsense to me. Remember that if I want to make noise when I chew my food then I will and I will eat with my mouth open.

[@JoachimderZweite]

Table manners and the French - you have got to be kidding!

[@murphypaschal]

Omg! This made me laugh so much because it is spot on. As a half French, half English person I can tell you quite frankly that my French friends are truly messy eaters! It's major clean up time after them. Lol.

[@Piccodon]

She's not even asking all the right question, americans are so clueless about table manners.

[@hazmaticx1994]

sit a second after? why are French extremely specific lol not insulting but it seems so uptight like im eating with a royal family

[@friedrichii41]

The ideas of this etiquette actually stem from the French royal families both pre and post-revolution. The Bourbons [Pre-Revolution, known as the ''Ancient Regime''] created this strict etiquette under Louis XIV who reigned from 1643-1715. As time passed though, some of these manners became simplified to what's shown in this video, ironically.

[@FuninFrench]

These are FORMAL dining rules, not everyday dining.

[@alexgunawan98]

Yawn.....

[@seif.z]

the cringe uhhhhh

[@TheHare-rv3hj]

Controlling, neurotic, judgemental, pretentious, paranoid, frozen...what a fun dinner party. They can keep their money and position if they have to have themselves sliced so thin that they cannot identify themselves anymore.

[@rags015]

Charming superstitious nonsense!!

[@fintonmainz7845]

Calling yourself "countess" in a republic is bad manners

[@Pandemiclui]

im not rich, so fine dining’s out the window, but ill try to apply these to mcdonalds

[@rivierarocket]

This is why I refuse all dinner invitations in france! Who needs the BS.

[@FuninFrench]

Yeah, why visit a country to respect and adapt to their culture, when you can insult them instead, and bring your culture to them?

[@karankaran-us9vm]

Who comes with such rules... I would gladly fast....then run for a bugger afterwards

[@4bawbees]

buggered after dinner? where? by whom?

[@parisasun2541]

As French , I feel that only the faux rich will want to show their rings!!! So choking of me ! No finesse.

[@gencoss]

life's short for these bs

[@Legend_Hunter_Original]

Straight up. Like what the actual fk lol. Like basic manners make sense like chewing with mouth closed, but this ...lol na

[@CaptainJeoy]

This is just sad 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@murphypaschal]

Haha! Sometimes the shortest comments hit the mark. Loved it!

[@a_maze_in_kwangya]

She has a horrible accent. As a French person it makes me unconfortable! I don't have the prettiest English accent but her "th" made me cringe each time...

[@4bawbees]

To a Brit, it sounds charming.

[@danielkim7841]

No to American ears her accent is simply charmaannttt! When french people speak English it is absolutement mignon! French accent sounds so chic and sophisticated and stylish!