# The French (Deodorant/Hair) Connection **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 2, 2003, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-deodorant-hair-connection/165997 "2003-04-02T17:14:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChunkyLover53](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c0e974/32.png) [@ChunkyLover53](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChunkyLover53)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-deodorant-hair-connection/165997/1 "2003-04-02T17:14:07Z")
To the French dopers or those who have knowledge of them: I am aware of the “stereotypical” french women with hairy pits/legs and no deodorant. Is this, in fact, a false stereotype or was this at one time true? Is it still true? My friend is travelling to France next week and we were discussing this. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-deodorant-hair-connection/165997/2 "2003-04-02T18:12:46Z")
Lots of European women don’t shave their legs or underarms, or don’t do it with the fervor of Americans. It’s not specifically a French practice. ---
**Author:** ![phartizan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba8739/32.png) [@phartizan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phartizan)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-deodorant-hair-connection/165997/3 "2003-04-02T18:57:31Z")
Occasionally you’ll run into a French person who dresses well but stinks to high heaven. It doesn’t happen often, but it happens more than in the US. As for the armpit hair, the women are shaving it more these days. Anyway, check out lieu’s post on [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=71188&goto=nextnewest) for what he says about his attractive female guide. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-deodorant-hair-connection/165997/4 "2003-04-02T19:21:30Z")
In France, at least a decade or so ago, it was very hard (from my experience) to find anti-perspirant deodorant. You could find deodorant, but the anti-perspirant thing just wasn’t very widespread. And regardless of what the manufacturers might say, anti-perspirant is a more effective _deodorant_ than deodorant alone. ---
**Author:** ![chattywine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5daacb/32.png) [@chattywine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chattywine)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-deodorant-hair-connection/165997/5 "2003-04-02T19:31:07Z")
Shaving the pits in Sicily goes 50/50 (no, I don’t mean one shaved one not…wouldn’t that be an interesting statement though). Haven’t shaved mine since '97, another couple months will be able to braid em! 😃 …something to do with the ‘animal attraction’ from what the men tell me…_shrugs_ Haven’t seen many hairy legs walking around BUT MAMAMIA the moustaches round here are rather impressive! ---
**Author:** ![nuthinboutnuthin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/96bed5/32.png) [@nuthinboutnuthin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nuthinboutnuthin)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-deodorant-hair-connection/165997/6 "2003-04-03T03:48:51Z")
We had a French exchange student stay with us for a summer, and she told us that they/the sponsers told her to make sure she shaved her armpits and legs everyday and to use deoderant. She did …and we were all very happy. From what I understand water in some regular homes in France isnt quiet as freeflowing and plentiful as America… ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-french-deodorant-hair-connection/165997/7 "2003-04-04T00:57:13Z")
Oddly enough, after WWI, shaving was associated with French fashion. As usual, the French were held responsible for the new, revealing bathing suits. James Thurber, of all people, has a later essay about how the French can’t make him shave his underarms, golldarnit!