Drinking age for Paris
 

I'm planning a surprise trip for my 16 year old daughter. She's always dreamed of sitting in a little Parisian cafe sipping on a glass of wine. Now she's too young to drink, but this once I wouldn't mind her partaking in a watered down version so she could at least check that off her wish list. Does anyone know how this would be perceived in Paris or even if it would be allowed.

I'm guessing it would be fine. Ordering a carafe of wine and a bottle of water is fairly usual.

If you didn't feel comfortable trying it, you could always get wine for a picnic in the park, sit in the metal chairs, watch the people go by... That's (almost) her dream come true.

Hi K,

Perfectly OK.

Do you have to water the wine?

((I))

the legal drinking age in France for wine and beer is 16 so no problem. My son was buying beer at the supermarket he says when he was 14 so the 16 isn't even rigorously enforced. you'll often see parents giving kids a sip of wine at restaurants. No one will bat an eyelash!

She's not too young to drink - she's just too young to drink in the US. The legal drinking age in France is 16.

You'll see when you get there that local teens often go out to eat and drink with their friends.

BTW, I hope your daughter's first experience with fine wine is not wine mixed with water.

Drinking age is 16 for wine and beer but 18, again unenforced largely, for spirits so she couldn't legally sip a Pernod i believe.

Agree not to water the wine - why ruin it for her?

The only reason we have 21 as a drinking age in the US is the drunk driving issue - not such a big issue in europe since few teens have access to cars - and drunk driving is taken VERY seriously.

There's nothing magic about 21 or 18 or any age. Our parents used to let my brother and I have a glass of wine or beer with meals when they did from the time we were 13 or 14 - and not only did we not become alcoholics or abusers - but we were both much more sensible drinkers than our friends when we got to college.

(When you're used to a decent merlot the lure of "Old Sweat Socks" is really minimal - never mind the fact that havng a drink or two is simply no big deal - rather than a forbidden thrill.)