The Drinking Culture of France

To celebrate the incredible drinking cultures of Europe, we dove deep into 10 different countries to get to know a little more about what’s in their glasses and how it got there in the first place. Click here to see them all.

There are few people who know how to live life more splendidly than the French. They eat butter and bread and foie gras and cheese on a regular basis. They appreciate small, luxurious touches like having fresh flowers in the house. They’re effortlessly chic in the way they dress and carry themselves. And perhaps my favorite of all, they don’t let work dominate their lives, breaking for lunch away from their desks and participating in a daily apéro to separate office life from the rest of the evening. 

“In France, apéro is truly part of almost everyday life,” says Rebekah Peppler, the author of Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. “When I first moved to Paris in 2015, I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t have any friends, and apéro was kind of the way I started to understand the drinking culture and the culture of France in general.”

And that, friends, is how we’ll begin our dive into the drinking culture of France. Obviously, there is no way we could cover absolutely everything, as France is a multifaceted country with 18 regions and traditions that vary from town to town, household to household. But this guide will give you a little more insight on what it’s like to imbibe there, whether you’re whiling away the hours on a cafe terrace in Paris or traipsing through the vineyards in one of the country’s beloved wine regions.

Wine

Before Experimental Cocktail Club opened its doors in 2007 (more on that below), cocktail bars were essentially nonexistent in Paris. And even though cocktail culture has certainly caught on, wine remains the drink of choice in France. This is obviously for good reason — France makes some of the best wine in the world, and they were drinking natural wine and pét-nats way before they caught on stateside. Talking about all the different types of wine from all of France’s incredible regions would be another story entirely, so just know this: wine is deeply embedded in everyday French life and culture.

Aperitifs

While there’s certainly a time and place for a stiff drink in France, most cocktails are simple and lower ABV — and many are made with one of the country’s excellent aperitifs. Lillet Blanc (it also comes in red and rosé varieties) is probably the most recognizable. The aromatized white wine is often mixed with tonic, and it’s the modern replacement for Kina Lillet (RIP) in a Vesper Martini. 

Bright yellow Suze is a bitter aperitif that’s been around since 1889. It’s also excellent with tonic. Gentian is the main bittering agent in Salers Aperitif, which is a popular cocktail ingredient around the world. Cap Corse was originally created as a medicinal tonic on the island of Corsica by combining wine made with muscat and vermentino grapes and cinchona bark; Corsican lemon peel has been added to the modern iteration. Pineau des Charentes is an aperitif category that sees Cognac mixed with unfermented grape juice that’s aged in oak barrels for at least 18 months. It’s wonderful to sip neat before a meal and can also be used as a modifier in cocktails. 

Pastis

Many countries have their signature anise-flavored liqueur, and in France, it’s pastis. While it’s probably the most popular in its birthplace, Marseille, fans of the drink can be found sipping it all over the country. “Pastis is the most wonderful aperitif drink, especially in the summertime, that you can continue to dilute and linger over for hours and hours and hours,” Peppler says. “It’s not about adding alcohol in but just the act of drinking.”

Brandy

You’ve likely heard of Cognac and Armagnac, the grape brandies that are named after the areas in which they are made. Both spirits are protected by a French appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC), and they are made by resting eau-de-vie — a name for unaged brandy that literally translates to “water of life” — in barrels. Both are wonderful when sipped neat, and Cognac is a classic spirit to use in cocktails. It’s also experiencing a resurgence in popularity with a younger generation. 

“In France, Cognac has gone through different phases,” says Alexandre Gabriel, the owner and master blender of Maison Ferrand. “It used to be a very aristocratic drink hundreds of years ago, reserved for the very few. The classic and historical way it was enjoyed was in a tulip-shaped glass at the end of a meal, but now you’ll see people enjoying it in the afternoon, coming back from skiing or back from the beach. We were recently in Paris at a large spirits trade show, and I was happy to see that we were inundated with so many young people coming to our booth, wanting to learn more about our different expressions. A new generation is rediscovering it with a new eye, and we’re very excited about that.”

Further north in Normandy, you’ll find Calvados, an apple brandy that also has an AOC protection. All of the fruit that goes into making Calvados must be grown in Normandy, and it has to be distilled into eau-de-vie before it’s aged in barrels for at least two years. The brandy can be sipped as a digestif or mixed into a cocktail. 

Plus, the Homemade Thing

If someone has a patch of black currants growing in their yard, they might make homemade cassis, which can be used in one of France’s most iconic drinks, the Kir Royale. And on June 24 (St. John’s Day), it’s a Provence tradition to pick green walnuts for walnut wine, or vin de noix. But perhaps the most popular liqueur for the French to make themselves is vin d’orange, which I first read about in Le Sud.

“It’s made with bitter oranges, whenever those are in the market, which is normally December through February-ish in the Northern Hemisphere,” Peppler says. “You make it, and it’s meant to sit until it starts to get warm again. Certainly not everyone is making it, but I don’t see a lot of people buying it. It’s a homemade thing or something that a family friend made and gifts to you.”

Most of France’s drinking festivals center around wine, and there are many throughout the country and in each of France’s biggest wine regions. Here are a few of the larger wine events that oenophiles would enjoy:

• The Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction: This annual auction has become one of the most famous wine charity sales in the world. Started in 1859, it takes place on the third Sunday in November and is preceded by three days of wine tastings, entertainment and a half marathon. 
• Route du Champagne: Each summer, Champagne comes alive with thousands of tourists who descend upon the region for this important event. The driving route starts in Reims and ends in Troyes, home to one of France’s largest markets. Along the way, bubbly enthusiasts can visit producers and experience local cuisine alongside the wine. 
• Paille et Ripaille: This wine and cheese festival in Nouvelle-Aquitaine takes place at the end of summer and celebrates everything from winemaking to farming to cheesemaking and other gastronomical delights. 
• Vignes Vins Randos: During the last week of August or first week of September, winemakers in the Loire Valley come together to curate 15 walks where you can taste local wines, learn how it’s made, watch cooking demos and sample delicious eats from the area.
• Fête de la Pressée à Chenôve: This yearly party in Burgundy celebrates winemaking traditions that date back to medieval times, including the pressing of grapes.
• Chablis Wine Festival: During the fourth weekend of October, thousands of visitors arrive in Chablis, Burgundy to enjoy tastings, seminars, dinners and vineyard walks.
• Beaujolais Nouveau Time Festival: Fans of Beaujolais Nouveau should mark their calendars for the third week in November when this five-day festival celebrating the beloved wine takes place. Think tastings, dinners, concerts, dances, a craft market and plenty of vineyard visits.

Much like Italian aperitivo hour, the French use apéro as a way to mark the end of the day and begin their evening. “It’s this glorious moment, especially on a beautiful sunny day, where the terrasses are packed, there are people having wine and their drinks, they’re meeting friends, they’re chatting with coworkers, and then everybody goes their separate ways or goes together to dinner or goes home,” Peppler says. “It’s this moment of connection, whether it’s with another person or with yourself, to take a moment, take a breath, transition into your evening and leave whatever you’ve been doing for the earlier part of your day behind.” 

During apéro, and really any other time, it’s unusual to see a French person drinking without a little something to eat. “If you’re looking on terrasses when everyone’s having their apéro in Paris, you rarely see a table without a thing of nuts, a little bowl of chips, some olives or a little spread of sorts,” Peppler adds. “There’s always this lovely little play between having a sip and having a bite. And it’s never going to be so much that you don’t have an appetite for dinner, but it’s rather to open your appetite for the meal to come.”

As Peppler mentioned, nibbles like nuts, olives and chips are all solid drinking snacks. A tapenade — whether you make it with olives, anchovies or sun-dried tomatoes (Peppler has recipes for these and more in Le Sud) — served with crunchy vegetables or crusty bread is always a good idea. I personally love serving in-season radishes with cultured butter and flaky sea salt with a welcome drink when I’m hosting a dinner gathering. As for the cheese? In France it’s served after the meal, typically before dessert.

Harry’s Bar

This Parisian icon was opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1911, after the bar was literally dismantled from its original location on Seventh Avenue in Manhattan and reassembled in its current home on Rue Daunou. Famed bartender Harry MacElhone was the man behind the stick, and many classic cocktails — like the Scofflaw and French 75 — were rumored to have been invented here. It’s still a delightful spot to grab a drink in Paris. 

Experimental Cocktail Club

When the founders of this now global sensation opened Experimental Cocktail Club on Rue Saint-Sauveur in 2007, cocktail bars didn’t exist in Paris. Now with locations all around the world, we have ECC to thank for ushering in the craft cocktail renaissance to the French capital nearly 20 years ago. The intimate space is as lively as ever, and it continues to serve some of the most inventive and delicious drinks in the city. 

Le Clown Bar

Although Le Clown Bar has only been around since 2013 in its current iteration, the establishment opened in 1907 as a meeting place for circus performers from all over the world. It’s been an official historic monument since 1995, and the restaurant and bar is one of the most iconic establishments in Paris — and a fantastic place to drink natural wine.

1. It’s okay to put ice in your wine: Something that’s seen as very gauche in the United States is actually widely accepted and practiced in France, especially the South. It’s called la piscine, and all you have to do is pour your favorite sparkling, white, rosé or even orange wine over ice and enjoy.

2. When in a pair, enjoy the same perspective: There’s a reason why people sitting at cafe tables on French terrasses are all facing the street. Sharing a perspective creates a more intimate experience with whomever you’re with because you both see the same thing. Plus, it’s way easier to converse with someone sitting next to you instead of shouting across the table.

3. A drink is nothing without a snack: Whether it’s a glass of wine with lunch or a traditional apéro, a drink is rarely the main focus — it usually goes hand in hand with food. “I would be sad if I didn’t have a little snack with my apéritif personally,” Peppler says, “but I think I can speak for many who feel the same way.”

4. Follow cheersing protocol: When toasting in France, you should always look your fellow imbibers in the eye, and never cross arms with another person who is also cheersing.

5. Don’t fill your wine glass to the brim: The French savor their wine and also allow it some room to breathe in the glass. Take your time

French 75

1 oz. gin or Cognac

.5 oz. fresh lemon juice

.5 oz. simple syrup

2-3 oz. Champagne or other sparkling wine

Lemon twist, for garnish 

Add gin or Cognac, lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Champagne flute. Top with Champagne and garnish with a twist.  

Japan Japan

From Experimental Cocktail Club in Paris

1.5 oz. Nikka From The Barrel Whisky

.5 oz. grapefruit juice

.5 oz. fresh lemon juice

.5 oz. simple syrup

3 dashes Angostura or grapefruit bitters

Place all the ingredients in a shaker tin with ice. Shake vigorously for 20 to 25 seconds. Strain through a fine sieve into an Old Fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a few dashes of bitters or Campari.

La Grande Plage

“No shade, but this is the spritz to make when you’re by the sea (or want to be) and desire something lightly bitter and bubbly and giving sunset in a cup,” Peppler writes about this cocktail in Le Sud. 

1.5 oz. Lillet Rosé

.75 oz. amaro, such as China-China, Nonino or Montenegro

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Pinch flaky sea salt

4 oz. dry sparkling wine

1 or 2 very thin lemon or orange wheels, if desired

In a wine glass filled with ice, combine the Lillet, amaro, bitters and salt. Top with the sparkling wine. Add the citrus wheels directly in the glass (if using) and serve.

Excerpted from Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur by Rebekah Peppler, © 2024. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs © Joanne Pai.