It is indeed an art to sleep in later than usual and have breakfast in bed or Faire la grasse matinée et prendre son petit déjeuner au lit. This is part of French Lifestyle or l’art de bien vivre to enjoy little moments by yourself or intimate à deux. It is truly one of life’s little pleasures and a typically French Lifestyle which should not only be reserved for Mother’s Day or a special occasion but part of an elegant and romantic way of life. It is one of my favorite! It feels so luxurious not to have to get out of bed au chant du cocorico when the rooster sings, catch up a bit on sleep or reading while enjoying some café and croissants in bed on a lazy morning.
You don’t have to be French to start practicing la grasse matinée! You just need to be willing to live a little out of the box, and appreciate little moments, especially with your chéri(e) (hint! hint!) it’s the little impromptu moments after all that you create that adds intimacy, spice and some romance to your relationship. The French know that spending little chunks of time like this creates connection and intimacy which is the key to a real mutually satisfying relationship. But more to come on that topic 😉 in another post.
so, you may ask, what’s so French about faire la grasse matinée? Well, it’s one of those delicious idiomatic expressions that has to real translation that dates back to the 16th century. Literally, it means to have a “fat morning”. Well, it’s not just “sleeping in” or fat morning as its name entails, faire la grasse matinée is more luxurious from the word grasse which evokes some luxury. It’s about taking the time to enjoy your petit matin without rushing, sleeping-in later than usual to enjoy a relaxing moment without rules and schedules.
On a side note, please forgive the cliché photograph of the Eiffel Tower view from this hotel bedroom. The only thing in that picture that resonates genuine with me is the double French- style window we grew up with in France, the white sheets and comforter, and the tray with croissant and café. Remember that France is not only about Paris! France is a collection of so many other beautiful cities or villages. It’s becoming very cliché to equate France with Paris exclusively. France is a small country with a wealth of variety and diversity. The Regions of France each have their own terroirs, customs and traditions, culinary specialités, recipes, French cheese and wine to explore! More to come!
Life is made up of little pleasures to enjoy and appreciate and that’s truly an essential aspect of French Lifestyle, wouldn’t you agree?
La vie est faite de petits bonheurs. Life is made up of little pleasures.
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