Book reviews: Ze French Do It Better, a lifestyle guide

Are the French masters of self-promotion, or is there really something behind the bravado? From fashionable gastronomy to the art of seduction, they have always been one step ahead. Effortlessly thin despite butter-stuffed croissants and gallons of wine, chic to fault without even trying – it’s enough to drive you crazy, if you let it.

So how do they pull it off, and more importantly, how can we mere mortals get in on the action? Well, according to insiders and double agents, Frédérique Veysset and Valérie de Saint-Pierre, it’s all about “divide (into subgroups) and conquer”.

In this tongue-in-cheek guide to ultimate Frenchness, the savvy duo breaks down the population into tribes – aristo chic, eco-warriors, vintage bourgeois, and more. – follows them in their natural habitat, checking off wardrobe essentials, etiquette meals and trendy water points, to unlock the secrets of Life in pink.

Ze French Do It Better: A Lifestyle Guide, by Frédérique Veysset and Valérie de Saint-Pierre, list price £16.95 / $25, published by Flammarion

Excerpt from France Today magazine. Access more book reviews here.

Shop on Amazon below: