Sophie

-noun

1. The French version of Sophia.

2. A thin beautiful woman mostly found smoking and avoiding food at all costs.

3. The stereotypical Parisian woman.

Before arriving in Paris, one can nearly guarantee that a rendezvous with one of many Sophies is inevitable. What one doesn’t expect is to come across enough Sophies to fill the date book of any attractive and eligible man for at least a decade. (Or woman, if they’re so inclined.) However, before you tattoo your date book with several hundred dates, consider what dating a Sophie might entail.





Date Scenario #1: A Picnic in the Park

Sounds simple enough, right? You pack a basket of baguettes, cheese, wine and the traditional red and white checker blanket. Wrong. This is the stereotypical French picnic. In Paris a picnic date involves a cheap yet delicious bottle of wine and a whole lot of making out – and Sophie is no stranger to passion. Before you even have time to lay down your blanket, she’ll be luring you onto the grass for an up close and personal kiss. Dating Sophie means forgetting any shyness you may have about PDA’s.

Date Scenario #2: The Dinner

First and foremost, dinner in Paris begins somewhere around the hour of 10 pm. This will leave you with sufficient time to either drink your way to confidence or prep the perfect outfit to be presentable enough to accompany Sophie. Fashion isn’t taken lightly by Sophie as she will show up looking effortlessly elegant and you better be on par.

Don’t expect to pay a lot for dinner, as a salad doesn’t cost a fortune in Paris and she’ll no doubt be packing cigarettes for her main course. (Her dirty little secret to maintaining that slim figure.)

Date Scenario #3: The Train to Marseille

The 3-hour train ride will leave you with plenty of time to converse with Sophie. This will be a roller coaster of lust, anger, laughter and apologies. One minute she’ll love your irresistible humor and the next she’ll hate you for not bringing her a café from the dining car. All of which will be audible to the rest of the passengers, invoking both hatred and jealously. In Marseille, every moment of your day will involve hugging Sophie, kissing Sophie and ambivalently hoping to have just one instant of solidarity.

There are no real negative or positive advantages to the Parisian woman, it all comes down to personal preference. It’s a lifestyle that varies significantly from that of North American women. If you prefer outspoken conversations, palpable passion and have a great interest in fashion, Sophie is the ‘it’ girl. But as we mentioned, smoking cigarettes could be a regular activity for both her fitness regime and appetite – a habit that may be a deal breaker for many Sophie-Seekers.

by Marayna Dickinson