Adult beverages in Paris public spaces?
 

Am interested in both he legal and actual situations for a discreetly shared bottle of wine in the parks and similar public spaces. For example, I recall no issues on the Champs de Mars, but can't remember seeing such consumption in the Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens. Is this formally prohibited but overlooked in many (or all) locations? Or is it generally allowed but simply uncommon/gauche depending on location? Or is it more complicated and somewhere in between? Thanks.

It won't be a problem.

Hmmmmmmm

"Adult beverages" - never heard that expression before. Anyway, we've picnicked in Jardin du Luxembourg before with a nice bottle of wine. Nobody batted an eyelid - the police and park wardens were more concerned with people sitting or playing on areas of the lawn that were off-limits.

Champs de Mars and Luxembourg for us also.

There might be a law against NOT having a bottle of wine with your picnic in Paris.

~Liz

Alcoholic beverages are banned in the parks of Paris. However, the only reason that this ban exists is to have the opportunity to get rid of rowdy drunks and miscellaneous bums when necessary. "Normal" people behaving "normally" will not be bothered for drinking in public. If for some reason the enforcement is stricter than usual (as often happened in the Les Halles park which no longer exists for the moment, and also on the Champ de Mars below the Eiffel Tower which became notorious for teen binge drinking from time to time), the police will just gently tell you to stop and not march you away wearing handcuffs.

I've done it many times.

Pas de problème.

I've done it many times, too. Just stay off the grass areas that are marked as off-limits; the police have a bigger proble with that than what you are drinking.

Reminds me of a picnic we had in Toronto where it WAS forbidden to consume such beverages (Don't know if it is still) We had our bike ride, and started our picnic, with the wine bottle in a brown paper bag. When we heard a helicopter overhead, our first reaction was 'they've caught us!' We practically hid under the table. They weren't, of course, after us, but other Torontonians would understand the response.

It won't be a problem if you are white and middle class IF as Gordon_R writes, you stay off the grass where it is prohibited. They do enforce. Even kids.

no worries to have but don't drink too much as cups could pick you up :-)