A true social phenomenon: today, nearly one in three marriages is mixed (27%). Differences in nationality or religion mean that more than 200,000 marriages each year involve couples who, at first glance, seem to have nothing in common: a Parisian woman who falls in love with a Chinese man, a Catholic woman who marries a Muslim man…

But once the initial passion fades, things can become more complicated. Loving each other is not always easy when cultures differ or families get involved.

So what do these couples — who prove wrong the saying “birds of a feather flock together” — really look like? What obstacles do they have to overcome in everyday life? How do they navigate issues such as marriage or raising children? And what are their secrets for making love triumph over every difference?