The Pitfalls Of A “Bonne Année”

Graphical user interface

In the second installment of her new “French Connections” series for France 24, Florence Villeminot covers the finer points of wishing people a “bonne année” throughout January.

Unlike the United States, it’s considered gauche (and bad luck) to wish anyone a “happy new year” in France before the new year has begun. In America, of course, we tend to wish people a merry Christmas or a happy holidays, throwing in happy new year as a little value-added bonus. On the absolute first day of the new year, it’s bonne année to tout le monde; after that, you’ll spend the rest of January wishing friends, family, and coworkers the same, but not strangers.

Via France 24
Via France 24

This, of course, becomes tangled up with la bise, which has been a point of contention among the expatriate community in France lately. Villeminot throws in a visual demonstration of the Parisian bise and covers the galette des rois for good measure. You can view the entire segment on France 24’s website.

A close up of a sign

Frenchly
newsletter.

Get your weekly dose of Frenchly’s news.

Read more

Frenchly newsletter.

A close up of a sign

Get your weekly dose of Frenchly’s news.

Frenchly Newsletter.

A close up of a sign

Get your weekly dose of Frenchly stuff.