DO’S AND DON’TS - CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - page 358

Do excuse yourself if you happen to bump into someone
while walking. “ Pardon ,” you might say, or “ Pardon,
monsieur/madame .”
Do address women as “ madame ”. Women should note that
being called madame , even if you're young or unmarried,
is not an insult. If you look to be over 30 years of age,
you're called madame out of respect, so you should do the
same when speaking. If a woman is clearly quite young,
you may say mademoiselle .
Do shake hands. The French shake hands a lot—the
physical contact reinforces their feelings of amity and
respect. Shake the hands of acquaintances or colleagues
you meet on the street. At a restaurant you patronise
frequently, the owner may shake your hand to signal that
he knows you are a 'regular'. (For the staff, however, a
smile and “ bonjour, monsieur ” will do. French waiters are
not chummy and do not introduce themselves by their
first name. Treat them with respect.)

Do greet your friends with a kiss—the French are great
kissers. Once you have made a French friend, you will no
doubt move from shaking hands to kissing. Generally this
involves a slight kiss on each cheek upon greeting and
later, upon saying goodbye.
Do respect people's sense of domain. At the market, do not
pick out the fruit or vegetables yourself, unless there is a
sign that says libre service ; wait instead for the merchant to
help you. In a shop, don't let your kids run wild and touch
everything. At the office, always knock before entering
other people's offices.
Do remember who you are. Even after living in Paris for
years and speaking what you think is fluent French, never
try to pass for a native. Don't assume that just because
you speak French, the merchants are friendly to you and
you have close French friends, that you will be considered
French. This will never happen.

DON'TS

Don't use people's first names from the start. Using first
names is not automatic; if your colleagues want you to