Cinq à sept

Cinq à sept (French: [sɛ̃kasɛt], literally 'five to seven') is a French term for activities taking place after work (sometime with late work as a cover up), and before returning home or having dinner (roughly between 5 and 7 p.m.). It may also be written as 5 à 7 or 5@7.

Quebec French

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 (e.g. six à huit).

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 "wine and cheese" gathering in the more formal usage or "happy hour" in the informal usage.

In France

Cinq à sept originally referred to a time for a tryst, and consequently a metonymy for visit to one's mistress, an affair, and the mistress (or lover) involved. It derived from the time of day French men would make such a visit.^[2] It is still commonly considered today as the moment of the day to meet one's mistress or lover, and the term is understood with a sexual content (as opposed to Quebec habit).

References

See also

https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/cinq_%C3%A0_sept