Flirting in France can be a powerful tool. If executed with skill and flair, it can show the other person if one is really interested or if it is merely a way of showing appreciation. Considered as one of the most important skills a French woman can learn, it often helps in getting information that may otherwise be more difficult to elicit.

• Showing oneself to be independent is the norm; dinner bills at restaurants are split halfway and men also receive compliments from women.
• There is no such thing as exclusive places to go and flirt: the laundromat, the supermarket, bars, nightclubs, computer chat rooms... Anything goes when it comes to meeting people.
• There are however self help books that teach you the do's and don'ts of pick up lines. There are even schools that offer to teach you the art of flirting.
• The idea of many, that flirting should only be used for finding a date or a husband, is not quite correct, at least not in France. Casual flirting is considered a special form of communication and as something quite harmless, that should be taken in fun.