I live in Michigan. We are traveling to Paris, Chamonix, Cinque Terre & Rome. Do I dare drink the water there or not? What was your experience?

I'm back, I drank it..many times..including the stuff NOT bottled and typing this.

I'll let you figure out the rest.

You should HOPE some of the water in the US is as good as some of the water in Eruope.

Enjoy your trip.

What has living in Michigan got to do with it?

Probably the same thing love has to do with it.

France and Italy are not third world countries with unsanitary water. Drink up.

If you decide to go with bottled water, get the kind with bubbles. It's great for brushing your teeth.

As I said on a similar post, the Romans invented water 2,500 years ago, and have been making improvements every year since then.

Stu Dudley

While the water is certainly clean enough to drink in these places, it's not a silly question. I remember hearing that sometimes a change in the water can be hard on one's system and even very low levels of new kinds of bacteria can make one sick. Now this could be entirely erroneous. Perhaps an M.D. or other such expert can weigh in?

uh...the Romans invented water?

I learn something new everyday.

Lisa:


I'm certainly not an MD or a water resources person, but wife and I have been drinking tap water from most western european countries for several years..perhaps before it was popular to do so. Same for Japan...China we opted not to. In Italy and France, most restaurants will bring a nice water bottle (looks like an upscale wine bottle in many restos) either upon request or automatically....don't hesitate to ask in the local language. Drink and be happy!

Stu T.

I don't agree with AisleSeat about the bubbly water. ....but I think he was "jesting " anyway about teeth brushing.

The fizzy bottled water , and some DO like it better, has loads of salt and tastes bad to other people.

Tap water is fine in the places you mentioned, in hotels etc and they will bring it to you in restaurants if you ask. However often they prefer to "Sell" you the bottled water in restaurants if you want it with a meal~~and often that's what they offer...(if you are not into wine drinking, and we've never had a problem with getting plain bottled water)

We usually rent a car and stop in a supermarket, buy bottled regular water and always have it with us when traveling. But the tap water is good to drink in hotels etc.

(SOME public restrooms have signs not to drink from the tap, or you can use your judgment in public places...but otherwise you'll be fine..

I have a sensitive stomach but I had no trouble whatsoever with drinking tap water recently in Italy. It is true, however, that the mineral content of water can change and result in upsets until your system acclimates Upsets are not always attributable to pathogens.

Have a wonderful trip.

Shoot, I drink Florida water everyday and haven't died yet and if you want treated water this is the place to come. I'll take paris, Rome or even NYC over what we have here.

The enviromental damage caused by bottled water is horrendous...in the manufacturing and then again in the disposal of all that plasic...Live dangerously, do as your ancestors did...

You are visiting civilized countries. they know all about purifing the water.
/It tastes better than Michigan

I drink the water, and bring Correctol (I always need it, not sure if it's the water, food, flying into a different country, etc.)

The water in all those places should be fine - unless you have an especially sensitive system and have to drink bottled water whenever you leave home.

There are some fountains in Italy - usually Rome and south - from which you should not drink the water. If so - there will be a sign saying so. (And I can't understand drinking water from ornamental fountains anyway - who would do that at home either? But - I have seen people sticking their faces in practically any fountain - too cheap to buy water I guess.)

AH HA! Now I know what's wrong with Me. I drink the water in Michigan. Worse yet, Detroit. Saves me a trip to the shrink. Thanks Lisa Lisa

1) All mineral waters contain different proportions of salts/ions - fizzy water is not automatically any saltier than still water, so I'm not sure where that myth came from.

2) Many bottled waters still come in glass so not all are environmentally unfriendly.

That said, I'd drink the water pretty much anywhere in Europe - the water from the ornamental fountains in Venice was delicious on a hot day!

Lisa_Lisa: You live in Michigan - so do you drink water when you go to LA or NYC or Texas?? You have the same chance for problems traveing outside of your home district as you do in France/italy.