Joie de Vivre Meaning

The essence of joie de vivre, which translates to joy of living, is at the heart of French culture. It means an active embrace of life’s simple pleasures to enhance daily living. In other words, to live well.

This philosophy permeates the French lifestyle encouraging individuals to take time to enjoy life’s pleasures and choose quality over quantity. It applies from cuisine to home decor, to the embrace of art, nature, literature, and cultural treasures. The French way of life also treasures human interactions. That means family, friends and even cultivating relationships with Monsieur le Boucher.

Henri Matisse’s painting, Le Bonheur de Vivre, (The Happiness of Living) captures the exuberance of the sentiment.

In this section of our site, we share our gourmandise discoveries– food, dining, and artisan-made regional specialties specific to the broader Rhône Valley, Occitanie, and Provence. We also highlight cultural events, art, literature, and music and share musings from our little slice of heaven in the Cote du Rhone Gardoises.

French Lifestyle - Live Well

The French live well and longer according to this AARP article. That means meals with natural ingredients, and smaller portions while avoiding snacking. Wine is enjoyed frequently but in moderation. Walking for exercise, enjoying sex as we mature, and having coffee with a friend (in a real cup!) means joy in living.

The joie de vivre meaning is more than mindfulness, as it also embraces luxury and sophistication.

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Goudargues

Autumn market in Goudargues.

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Émile Zola's La Joie De Vivre

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Wine Ballet

Wine Ballet Costume for Adelaide’s Centenary Pageant, 1936, Thelma Afford (nee Thomas) (Source: State Library of New South Wales)

[A table set with a glass of red wine, bread, and saucisson.] Joie de vivre meaning, french lifestyle, french way of life, french lifestyle tips, how to be more French, Mediterranean lifestyle, french wine country living, life in rural France

Gastronomy

Du vin, du pain et du saucisson.

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Côtes du Rhône Wine

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Tour French Wine Country

Enjoy the countryside around Pic St. Loup near Montpellier in a Deux Chevaux via Montpellier Wine Tours

Joy of Living in Southern France

In this section of our website, we focus on and delve into the French art of living in conversations with friends and neighbors while enjoying a long meal made with local produce and a glass of rose wine. We offer French lifestyle tips so that you too can experience more joie de vivre if you are trip planning to the Cotes du Rhone wine region or the South of France. Or even if you just want to learn how to be more French.

As an American woman married to a French man, I can personally testify to the pleasure of the apperatif. It is an “appetizer” before lunch or dinner that can include a lovely glass of the aforementioned rose and when we are au mas, a fougasse and olives are enjoyed in our courtyard. Voilà, joie de vivre!

Return to this section to find articles on cuisine, food markets, cultural festivals, and appreciation of art, cinema, and literature. We will also share our musings about French wine country living and life in rural France, transitioning towards retirement, and photo dumps from our trips around the region!

For the purist, please be advised that we are sharing information about places, events and things to do that may be a Cotes du Rhone-adjacent and exceed the technical boundaries of the region.

We hope our observations, as we fully embrace a slower Mediterranean lifestyle in the midi, can introduce ways in which you too can bring more joie de vivre into your life.

Emile Zola and Henri Matisse’s Le Bonheur de Vivre

The expression of a more joyful French lifestyle started in the early 20^th century. The New York Times attributes the term joie de vivre to sociologist Émile Durkheim, who lived from 1858 to 1917. However, the popular French author Émile Zola published his novel “Le Joie De Vivre” first in serial form in 1883. In this novel, his heroine, Pauline maintains optimism and love despite a series of misfortunes.

Finally, artist Henri Matisse exhibited his groundbreaking work Le Bonheur de vivre (below) at the Salon of the Independents in 1906. Critics were shocked by the painting as it used bright, flat colors and featured nudes in various poses of abandon, some reclining and others dancing or embracing. Matisse belonged to the fauvism movement, or “wild beasts,” known for their use of “brutal” colors. Later, the painting became a cornerstone of modernism.

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