If I learned one thing while studying in France, it’s that French men are very forward. If they see someone they like, more often than not, they’ll make their way across the bar to make a move. There were many times where men would ask to come sit with me, invite me outside for a cigarette, or strike up a conversation while I waited to order at the bar. Of course, not all French men approach dating this way, but I found it refreshingly different and a welcomed change from the way American men approach both flirting and dating.
I’ve learned that many times, when it comes to American guys, there can be a lot of dancing around the subject when flirting or talking to someone they’re interested in. There’s the whole “Hey, put me on with your friend” or “My friend thinks you’re cute” epidemic. Personally, I find it to be a major turn off when a guy chooses to have his friend approach me first or approaches my friend to inquire about me or talk to me for him. Then there’s my personal favorite, which happens way more often then I would like to admit: the guys who will see you in public and not say hey but then proceed to text you afterwards and say, “Hey, I think I saw you out tonight”. That always makes me mentally facepalm and to be honest, will probably get you left on read.
Therefore, I’m left looking for someone to be slightly more forward with their feelings, their intentions, and at the very least have the courage to greet me in public without having someone else do it for them. Thankfully, during my semester in France, I often found myself out at bars surrounded by men who were not afraid to shoot their shot. I have to say, it was incredibly refreshing to talk to a man who could look me in the eyes, tell me that he was attracted to me, and then proceed to do something about it. Something that, in my experience, is quite a rare occurrence here in the good ol’ USA.
Of course, not every man who steps up to the plate was a winner, but when the attraction was mutual it saved everyone involved a lot of time by being upfront about our feelings. I also understand that not everyone responds well to men being forward, but in the case that you are, you might want to consider heading to France when planning your next trip!