You must remember this,

A kiss is just a kiss…

Unless you’re in France.  Just as the Eskimos have many words for “snow”, the French have several words for “kiss”.

Faire la bise : This sounds like a kiss, but it is really just a “hello” or “good-bye”  greeting.  Put your right cheek forward, touch it to the other person’s right cheek, and make a kissing sound in the air.  Repeat with the left cheek.

This is the typical French greeting.  In Paris, the standard greeting is one bise on each side.  East and west of the city, there are often three kisses – right, left, right.  And in southern France, there are four – right, left, right, left.  Whether two, three, or four kisses, la bise has so much more warmth than a handshake, n’est-ce pas?

Un bisou –  This is a cute, pecking kiss, a smooch.  It could be on the lips or the cheeks.  It is appropriate between family members and friends.  A mother would say to a child, “Give me a kiss” or “Fais-moi un bisou.”

Un baiser – This is a full kiss on the lips. It’s the kiss you save for your spouse or lover, the person you are passionate about.  (Be careful with this word.  As a noun, baiser is a kiss.  Used as a verb, it is a vulgar, slang word.)

* As always happens, the day after I post a picture, I receive the Weekly Photo Challenge for which that picture would have been perfect!  So you’re seeing the third picture, above, again this week.  I used it last week for “Home” and I’m using it this week for “Kiss”.  Ah, well, c’est la vie!

And here are the words to the Louis Armstrong song, A Kiss is Just a Kiss.

You must remember this
A kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh.
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by.
And when two lovers woo
They still say, “I love you”
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by.
Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate
Woman needs man
And man must have his mate
That no one can deny.
It’s still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by.

Kisses, Bisous,

~FTW