La vie politique et personnelle de Bernadette Chirac

What does “un caractère bien trempé” mean in French?

If someone has un caractère bien trempé, they have a strong, firm personality. They do not give in easily. The phrase comes from metalworking: tremper means to put hot metal into cold water so it becomes hard and tough. French speakers use that same idea for people. The phrase is usually a compliment — even when the person is a little difficult.

In this profile of Bernadette Chirac, the narrator says: “elle assume un caractère bien trempé, cassante selon certains” — “she owns a strong, firm character, sharp according to some.” It describes a woman known for not bending. The image comes from the forge. To temper steel (la trempe), you heat it, then cool it fast in water so it becomes hard and strong. So bien trempé literally means “well-tempered,” and a person bien trempé is mentally tough in the same way. You will also hear de bonne trempe (“of solid character”) for someone reliable and strong. Watch out for a false-friend trap: in English, “well-tempered” usually suggests calm or balanced (as in Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier). In French, bien trempé means strong-willed — not gentle.