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Drinking

Why do people in France say they are Sam when they are called Jacques?

A TV campaign to curb drink-driving led to people calling themselves Sam on a Saturday night

How do you compare to new regional drinking stats for France?

Four regions are still seeing relatively high levels of binge drinking, new figures show

Drinking water in towns near Lyon polluted above permitted levels

The water serves 166,000 residents in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

news

‘British drinking habits come as a shock now we live in France’

They drink so much and so fast, says columnist Samantha David after a trip to London

Five things they don’t tell you about getting tipsy in France

Do not be drawn into French drinking songs - being noticeably drunk in public is against the law

Tap water in France is safe, says health chief who sent leaked email

The internal memo was ‘published out of context’ causing alarm

Avoid drinking tap water in south-west France, says leaked email

People should favour bottled water so as to avoid ‘forever chemicals,’ it is claimed

Wine tips: don’t stick to your favourite French grape

Connexion writer Jonathan Hesford on why choosing the same variety can limit your tasting pleasure

How to locate free drinking water fountains near you in France

Paris even has some points which offer sparkling water

Sudden death of dogs sparks toxic water fears in southern France

It has led to an emergency ban on swimming in or drinking from a river in Bordeaux

French public health body’s tips for staying hydrated this summer

From consuming coconut water to drinking before you feel thirsty, we share French health advice on how to avoid dehydration

Pesticides in French tap water ‘not a health risk’

A recent study found traces of a banned fungicide in half of the samples taken from French drinking water, but authorities say tap water is safe to drink

Video of drinkers carrying on as normal amid protest blaze goes viral

In the clip, they barely look up to notice a fire raging in the street behind them

Dry January in France: how our readers are changing drinking habits

Readers have been sharing observations about how their alcohol consumption has evolved since they moved to France and whether they are trying out Dry January this year

French driver found seven times over legal alcohol limit

The 58-year-old man had drunk 12 litres of beer, a bottle of pastis, and a bottle of rosé - and did not have a licence

Cheers! No-alcohol gin wins over French drinks giant

Binge-drink habit on the rise among the French

Binge-drinking is on the rise in France, official figures show.

More drivers in France to face breath-test

More drivers could be forced to use breath-test devices before starting a car under new plans from the Interior Ministry to cut drink-driving.

Why people booze but don’t binge in France

Wine columnist Jonathan Hesford asks if France’s drinking habits are in good health

French anti-cancer group condemns super-strong beer

A French anti-cancer campaigner is calling for stricter laws and higher taxes on super-alcoholic beer, to make it less attractive to younger people, and to raise awareness of alcohol’s link to cancer.

Drivers in France no longer need breathalyser kits

Drivers in France will no longer be obliged to carry breathalysers in their vehicles at all times, as the discredited and ignored law that required it has finally been formally scrapped.

Provence sends French rosé to Trump after tax threat

The French region of Provence has sent crates of local rosé wine to American President Donald Trump, after the latter threatened to increase import taxes on French wine to the USA.

France hits back at radioactive drinking water rumours

Authorities have reassured residents that drinking tap water poses “no risk to public health”, after rumours that it was “contaminated” with radioactive substance tritium.

France announces 25 drinking water protection measures

The French government has announced a series of measures designed to protect and share the resource of clean drinking water, which is under threat from climate change.

Drink-drive levels in France and UK

Your May article on drink-driving ( Margin of error must now be given ) states “the current drink-drive limit in France is a maximum of 0.5g of alcohol per litre of blood (0.8g in the UK)”.

When it comes to drinking, the French are pros

Last weekend we went to an open day at the local agricultural supplies shop (we are customers as we have chickens).

French court rules margin of error for drink-driving

A margin of error must be taken into consideration in all drink-driving cases, a court in France has ruled.

Alcohol blamed for 41,000 deaths a year in France

Figure shows fall from previous study, but officials warn that many 55 to 75-year-olds still exceed recommended limits

French ‘ice wine’ producers begin freezing harvest

Harvesting has begun for a small number of producers in the Savoie (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) who make high-end “ice wine” made from frozen grapes.

Doctors call for higher alcohol taxes in France

Doctors in France have called on health minister Agnès Buzyn to raise taxes on alcohol and spend the funds on more awareness campaigns against addiction and excess alcohol consumption.

French festival friends brew cassoulet-flavoured beer

Two friends in Toulouse (Occitanie) - who are founders of a local beer festival - have combined the region’s local dish with their favourite drink, and created a cassoulet beer.

Bordeaux: Restaurants with no local wine denounced

The Bordeaux director of tourism has condemned restaurants in the region that do not sell a single local wine, and called on them to pay as much attention to their wine lists as to their food.

French pastis producers aim to raise spirit popularity

One of the only remaining 100% Marseille manufacturers of the alcoholic spirit pastis is aiming to revive its flagging popularity by exporting most of its production under a “Made in France” banner.

Sugary drinks tax in France already making impact

The tax on sugary fizzy drinks that has been in place in France since July 1 is already having a positive effect on the amount of sugar found in the drinks, an MP has said.

Minister wants larger ‘no alcohol when pregnant’ logo

Health minister Agnès Buzyn has called for a larger “no alcohol when pregnant” warning logo on alcohol bottles in France, sparking criticism from producers who say it gives a bad impression of their products.

French cognac exports at record high in 2018

French cognac exports were at a record high for the fourth consecutive year in 2018, with the drink now making up one quarter of the country’s entire wine and spirit exports, to the value of €3.2 billion.

Jail for four-times limit lorry driver in Occitanie

A truck driver in Occitanie has been jailed for 10 months after being caught driving while more than four times over the legal blood alcohol limit, while also talking on his mobile phone.

Majority of beer contains pesticides, new study shows

Most beer contains traces of glyphosate and pesticides, a new test by consumer magazine 60 Millions de Consommateurs has suggested.

French support alcohol price rise to boost health

The majority of the French people are in favour of raising the price of alcohol in a bid to improve public health, a new report has found.

Doctors rebuke Macron on wine drinking

President warned that wine was alcohol like any other and was bad for the health

62 communes without safe tap water after flooding

The heavy rainfall and severe flooding in the Seine-Maritime region has left over 62 communes without safe tap drinking water.

French would most like to ‘have a beer’ with Macron

Forget his policies or political movements; President Emmanuel Macron has just topped a poll as the politician most French people would like to “have a beer with”.

Drivers warned on safety as 90% plan to drink on NYE

Almost 90% of French people expect to drink alcohol this New Year’s Eve (NYE), but only a fraction of them have plans in place to avoid a drink-driving accident, according to a new study.

Ancient distillery skills for new French whisky makers

France is the world’s second-largest whisky market, but has no whisky world leader of its own, unlike cognac. Ken Seaton looks at what its distilleries are doing to catch up

Raising a glass to the language of intoxication

Language notes on the French art of drinking

Woman thanks Morlaix police for helping her find love

It’s not often that anything good comes from drinking and driving, but a woman who had her driving licence confiscated two years ago has written to police in Morlaix (Brittany) thanking them for helping her find love.