Posted on 10/10/2005 1:22:06 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants
FINALLY its official. The French DO smell.
After generations of jibes about hygiene over the Channel, a study yesterday revealed nine out of ten French people do NOT wash regularly.
That means that out of a population of 60.5million, more than 54million risk being whiffy.
Shockingly, 2.5million NEVER shower or bath while 1.8million NEVER brush their teeth.
The French do spend between 48 and 56 minutes in the bathroom each day but much of that is applying cosmetics.
Nine out of ten French women and half of the men regularly apply perfume and cosmetics.
A third spend time in the bathroom reading, while a quarter daydream, 14 per cent make phone calls, eight per cent sing, six per cent smoke and one per cent eat.
The findings were published by a respected Paris-based weekly magazine. Their statistical supplement was entitled: 24 hours in France An Unusual Portrait of France and the French.
But last night former French leisure boss Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, once in charge of the Millennium Dome, fumed: This is ridiculous, bloody annoying and unhelpful.
The 39-year-old went on: This idea of the Frog who doesnt wash, has a baguette on his head and a string of onions around his neck is passe.
Its about as real as the idea of the Englishman in his pinstripe suit and bowler hat.
The French national statistics also revealed that on average around 2,000 French citizens go on strike each day, while 2.4million French people take prescription drugs.
Is it: a) Only Americans use them. b) Environmentally conscious - less laundry without them. c) Wash cloth? What's a wash cloth?. d) None of the above.
If d) supply your own conclusion.
I don't know about all Frogs, but I was working with one on a drilling rig in Africa, and that was the foulest smelling human being I have ever had the displeasure of being near.
Thank you for the posting.
Its the best and loudest laugh I have had in some time.
I can tell, the author of this never went down into Mexico.
Eau my! I think the French word for their odor is "decollatege." I think it is how they find their cars in parking lots since all the little Citroens and Renaults look the same.
parsy, the eurodite. (A word that means "smart", I think.)
Eating in the bathroom? That is just wrong.
I don't believe that an average of 2,000 Frenchmen are on strike a day. To go on a strike you actually have to have a job and do some work every once in a while.
We travel frequently overseas on business. The lack of wash cloths not only all over Europe, but also in South America and Latin America, is my pet peeve. We now buy bundles of really cheap white washcloths at WalMart or Target and pack them when we travel. We leave the wet, soiled ones in our hotels when we leave. Maybe they will get a hint.
They must have a fear of water because they don't drink it, either!
"Gave up American showers for French bidets.
"Her wit was dry, his style was clean-
"Their crotches were somewhere in between"
Burma Shave
Lathering up on cologne was known as a "whore Bath" and is now known as a "frog bath"
They love that word "rude". Some people from Quebec were visiting French neighbors this past weekend. They let their dogs run wild, and when I caught them in my garden; that was it. I informed them that their dogs needed to be on a leash (NH state law), and if they couldn't keep their animals out of my plants, I would be calling the police. I was called "rude" and a "bad man". Screw France AND Quebec...arrogant SOB's.
Décolletage refers to cutting around the neck and has come to refer to a plunging neckline on a woman's dress and hence the showing of cleavage.
I much prefer the latter.
The signature block says it all.
Il n'y a pas d'honte être français. Il y a seulement l'honte dans rester de français.
(There is no shame in being French. There is only shame in staying French.)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
I don't understand this. Taking a bath/shower is one of life's little pleasures. I would think the French would pursue such a thing.. :o)
I snack in the tub.
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