Why have a French inspired morning routine?
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I often think back to my favorite parts of living in France in college. One of them has to be my morning routine. I loved it so much that I would go to bed excited to wake up in the morning and have my big bowl of café au lait and toasted baguette. After a quick shower I would return to my bedroom on the top floor of the townhouse and open up the windows to watch the sun rise over the French rooftops. Then I would dress and primp for my day ahead. Next I would venture down the winding wooden staircase to the ground floor, enter the kitchen, and prepare my beloved breakfast routine. When ready to leave, I would put in my earbuds, turn on my ipod (this was before iphones, you know), and walk through the beautiful city I called mine.
I loved watching the storefronts open up and the city come to life on my way to my université. Each day began the same, and I loved every moment of it. These days, I still try to incorporate a French inspired morning routine in my every day. It makes life that much prettier, and more pleasurable
My morning routine as a mom needed some French inspiration
In recent years I have tried to bring back some of that French morning magic to my life… Having small children rouses you at hours you wouldn’t have spoken of as a 20-something, but here we are. I no longer get dressed looking over French rooftops and sipping a bowl of coffee while listening to French morning radio. No, instead I throw on a robe and stagger to the coffeepot before I pop some frozen waffles in the toaster for my birght-eyed littles.
Somehow, this is not as charmant as my previous life… a realization which has motivated me to make some changes in my morning routine. So today I have laid out for you how to have a French inspired morning routine, to start your day with some relaxing elegance. Sounds très bien, non? Take my tips to heart and you will soon be enjoying a morning of pleasurable French simplicity.
Prepare for your morning the night before
I’m the kind of person who has to be in bed by a certain time each night. If I stay up later than planned, I’ve turned into a pumpkin and I must go straight to bed. But I have learned that if I do just a minimal amount of preparation the night before, my morning goes much smoother for all of us.
Un café, s'il vous plaît!
The biggest one is to set that coffee pot the night before. I’m sure most of you do this, but I admit sometimes I am too tired and decide to worry about making coffee in the morning. Bad idea. It is SO nice to be woken by your alarm, and immediately smell fresh coffee down the hall! Better yet, make the first sip that much more pleasurable by setting out your favorite coffee cup, and add your accoutrements using pretty serve ware. It feels much more enjoyable to add cream to your coffee from a porcelain cream pitcher, and sugar from a pretty sugar bowl.
These are the simple pleasures that bring elegance and joy to the little things you do each day. Setting it up the night before allows you to simply enjoy it all upon waking up.
Wake up early to enjoy your quiet morning
It has taken me years to accomplish this task because I loooove to sleep as long as possible in the morning. I had exacted my necessary preparation and breakfasting time down to almost the minute so I knew exactly when to set my alarm the night before. Now that I have kids, I have learned the wonderful bliss that comes with rising early only to enjoy sipping my coffee in bed.
Often I will wake up extra early to do this as well as take a shower without being interrupted by my kids. Although I have early morning school drop-off to contend with these days, I still try to give myself an extra 10 minutes in the morning to sit and sip some coffee before the chaos of the day begins.
Make your beauty routine French inspired, too
In France, one would refer to this as their morning “toilette.” A toilette refers to your daily hygiene practices (not the kind that involve a certain porcelain throne). To make it French inspired, all you have to do it Keep.It.Simple.
If you’ve been reading my blog for some time, you probably know that the key to French chicness lies in simplicity. This is a mantra I have lived my life by for some time, and so I personally can attest to its effectiveness. But just in case you need some further detail, I’ll lay it out a little more clearly.
Skincare is life
Treat your skincare routine as a religion, and do it every day. There is so much out there about how French people care for their skin, but I’ll keep it basic for today’s post. Cleanse, tone, and moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
This last step doesn’t just mean to moisturize the face, either. The secret to youthful skin is to keep it hydrated, which means moisturizing to your limbs is important also. I’m one of those people who can’t wear scented lotion or perfume (not very French of me, I know), so instead I use Alba Botanica Very Emollient Unscented Body Lotion on my arms and legs after every shower. It has clean ingredients, and it keeps my skin from feeling tight and dry. Try it, you’ll love it!
Keep your maquillage simple
In addition to caring for your skin, keep your makeup simple with just enough foundation to smooth out your complexion. Then add some blush, maybe a thin liner on your top eyelids, and a little mascara. And the one bit of makeup you never skimp on: lipstick. The eye makeup is optional, but for a Parisienne the lipstick never is. You should always still look like yourself, celebrating your personal beauty, not someone else’s ideal. Just keep it simple so that you can shine through.
Make time for breakfast
No skipping the most important meal of the day! Do you think a Parisienne would miss a meal? Mais non! While the stereotype of a pain au chocolat and a café crème is a lovely musing, French people usually save these treats for the weekend and stick to more practical nourishment during a busy week… Except for myself, who had to eat all.the.things. during my time abroad, but I digress.
Regardless, French people eat breakfast even if it isn’t fancy during the week, and so should you. Yogurt with fresh fruit, muesli (basically granola in cereal form), or a piece of toast with tea- whatever you like in the morning, but make sure it is nutritious; then, on the weekend, get a pain au chocolat from a bakery, pour a large cup of creamy coffee, and enjoy every minute of it.
Give your commute some French inspiration
Because you woke up extra early, you shouldn’t be rushing to work. Leave in enough time to not stress about sneaking in so your boss doesn’t notice how late you are. If you can, ride your bike for exercise instead of driving, or take public transportation if you live in an urban setting. If you drive to work (as most Americans do), make it enjoyable by listening to a gripping podcast that makes you excited to start your commute each day, or listen to one of my top podcasts about Paris to transport you to our happy place. Sometimes I will listen to French language podcasts to keep up my language comprehension (see the link to my post about podcasts for the one I listen to).
If podcasts aren’t your thing, try Ina Garten’s Paris playlist on Spotify to get you in a French morning mood- it feels just like sitting in a Parisian café with a croissant.
Go to bed excited for your morning routine!
Between prepping your morning cuppa with thoughtful practice the night before, waking up early enough for some morning leisure time, and nourishing both your skin and your body with a thoughtful meal, you will quickly notice that your mornings feel much brighter, more luxurious, and your mind more contented when you start your busy day. Even if I know I will have a crazy next day, I still go to bed excited to get up and drink my coffee in a quiet house before the hustle begins, and this vastly improves my morning mood and the rest of my day. Take these steps and I promise your French inspired morning routine will change your whole journée!
What simple pleasures help you start your morning off on the right foot? I’m always curious about peoples’ routines and would love to hear about yours! Leave a comment below J
-Geneviève