Faire la bise – ‘to kiss’ in France – is a tradition that, unfortunately, is not very welcome right now. Indeed, during these challenging times, the Minister of Health in France advises against practicing it. In France, faire la bise is a greeting ritual used from Antiquity, even if over the centuries the purpose or the gesture may have slightly changed. Nov 06, · Greeting with a kiss isn’t just a ‘French thing’ (Note that it’s not related to the French word for cheek, “joue.”) In French-speaking Switzerland, the expression “se faire un. Jun 01, · While “bise” translates to “kiss”, it’s not actually a kiss. That means no lip-to-cheek contact, but rather a light grazing of the cheeks. That distinctly French reservedness separates it from, say, “il bacetto” the expressive Italian cheek-kiss. Unlike handshakes, it’s not optional. If you can’t reach someone to shake their hand you might just wave and say “hi” instead.
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