Toasting in France is more complicated than it seems

The French have been producing world-renowned wines for thousands of years, ever since the Greeks settled in southern Gaul. Around that same time, as wine began to spread around the world, the tradition of toasting with a glass began to gain popularity. Toasting conveys celebration, but it also involves observing certain rules of etiquette.

Perhaps no country takes it as seriously as France, which maintains an almost superstitious adherence to traditional toasting methods. These customs are believed to have originated in the Middle Ages as a way of showing guests that no one intended to poison them. Even if you don't believe in the curse of seven years of bad luck for not toasting properly, it's still wise to know how to do it correctly, whether you're traveling to France or hosting a French guest at home.

According to French custom, it is customary to wish those present good health. The phrase varies depending on the context: "à votre santé" or "à la vôtre" in formal gatherings, and "à ta santé," "tchin tchin," or "à la tienne" among friends and family. If in doubt, simply saying "santé" is a safer option, although the rules are not limited to language.

Other customs include maintaining eye contact when toasting, not adding ice to the wine, waiting your turn to clink glasses without crossing your arms, holding your glass aloft while the speaker is talking, and not leaving any glass untouched, waiting until everyone has finished clinking before taking a sip. Toasting with water is also forbidden, a belief that stems from an ancient Greek custom of bidding farewell to the souls of the deceased with a water toast.

This doesn't mean the French don't empty their glasses in one gulp. At any moment, someone might exclaim "cul sec," meaning "bottom dry," and compel everyone to drink to the bottom.