The French and Red Wine: beyond the clichés

Almost all around the world, and especially in the English-speaking countries (for having been there myself), we drag with us an image of wine (red wine especially) fanatics. Alcoholics, one would wisely say.

When I was maybe 9 or 10 I was sent by my school in a family to London to improve my English-speaking. On the first evening a party was organised to introduce me to relatives and neighbours. Because I come from the Marseilles region, the family had bought pastis ( a very strong aniseed drink to be diluted in water). They offered me some, I had the hardest time convincing them that I was not allowed nor wanted to drink that.

Looking back, they were surely a little dumb, but still, they were convinced that because I was French, I was used to drinking alcohol at that age.

On the other hand, of course, in many families, red wine (not always quality wine) is drunk daily. Yet, as a whole, the French population does not drink that much: in many restaurants, you can order a glass of red or white wine with your dish or even a little cute bottle containing only 25 cl of wine. All that without the waiter frowning upon you !

And I even know many people ( my age , older and younger) who never or very exceptionally drink alcohol, either because they are health conscious, or they just don't like it.

But as far as I can tell, what gives us the image of happy alcoholics is that alcohol drinking in fairly large amount is not socially unacceptable, as long as you are not drunk

Not a month ago, I was trying to explain to a relative of mine that his drinking of 4 pre-lunch drinks, several beers, at least 3/4 of a bottle of wine and a digstive or two every day was far too much. He simply did not believe me and was supported by several other persons sitting next to us at the table. 

 To me, his drinking is way too much, yet for some part of the population , because he is not rolling on the floor completely drunk, this is okay.



  A campaign against binge drinking broadcast on French TV : "Drinking too much : too extreme sensations"

Nowadays, when I do not work the next day, I am used too drink either a cocktail before the evening meal along with some appetizers, or a glass of wine (usually white or "rosé") that I sip during the starter and the main dish. Tell me, I'm not an alcoholic, am I ?? lol