Cinq à sept
Cinq à sept (French: [sɛ̃k a sɛt], literally 'five to seven') is a French-language term for activities taking place after work and before returning home (sometimes using overtime as an excuse), or having dinner (roughly between 5 and 7 p.m.).
It may also be written as 5 à 7 or 5@7.
In Quebec
In Quebec French, the term stands for a social gathering. It may bring together friends or colleagues or may be organized around a specific event, such as a book launch or vernissage. Wine, beer, and cocktails are served along with finger foods and other hors d'oeuvres. Such a party held later may be named for the specific time (for example, six à huit, meaning "six to eight").
A cinq à sept can be a formal gathering held in a wide range of public and private spaces, such as art galleries, university campuses, and places of work, but it is also commonly used more informally as a promotion in bars to attract patrons.[1] The English equivalent might be a semi-formal "wine and cheese" gathering or an informal "happy hour".
In France
Cinq à sept originally referred to a time for a tryst, and consequently is a metonym for a visit to one's mistress, an extramarital affair, and the mistress involved. It derived from the time of day French people would make such a visit. It is still commonly considered as the time of day to meet one's mistress or lover, and the term implies a sexual liaison (as opposed to the Québécois habit).
Cultural references
The phrase was referenced in the 1965 novel La Chamade by French author Françoise Sagan;[2] It was suggested the time has changed to 2 to 4 p.m.[2]
The 2014 US movie 5 to 7, based on the phrase, presents the wife of a diplomat commencing an extramarital affair with a younger writer.
References
- ^ "What is a 5-à-7?". Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
- ^ a b "France: Love in the Afternoon". Time. 11 November 1966. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
In the days of Maupassant, mustaches and mistresses, the affluent Frenchman could not do without his cinq a sept—the 5-to-7 p.m. evening liaison with his paramour.