Why is Coca Cola so expensive in Paris? I have read that it can cost up to 5 euro or more per glass. What do French teenagers drink............other than wine?
I will be travelling with an 18 yr old and don't want to totally cut out soft drinks, but I balk at paying as much for a soda as I might pay for a small sandwich.
Anyone have any ideas ?

Depends on where one buys and drinks the coke. If one buys the coke at a food store and carries it out, it's a euro or so. A cold coke from the store frigo will cost more. If one drinks it at a cafe, figure that table rent is included. At a cafe, note the different prices for coffee at the counter and coffee served on the terrace.

Hardly anyone in France shells out that kind of money for unhealthy drinks. People drink iced tea or water or fruit juices or beer or wine.

In a restaurant/cafe not only will soft drinks be expensive, they will be smaller than you are probably used to, AND no free refills -- so forget about Bug Gulps

Your 18yo is old enough to buy his/her own - and would probably change to water/juice or wine/beer if paying the freight . . .

As stated above, Coke is widely available in groceries and convenience stores for much less than restaurant prices.

For a 'walking around' coke -- buying in a grocery is fine. I assumed you were asking what to do about drinks at meals - you can't take that can from Monoprix into a restaurant.

Bottled water is often offered by the waiter. Sparkling or still styles. The diner pays for that, too. Ordinary tap water will be provided on request and usually free. It's fine, although not as much fun without the bubbles.

Bottled water is often offered by the waiter. Sparkling or still styles. The diner pays for that, too. Ordinary tap water will be provided on request and usually free, and is fine, although not as much fun without the bubbles

I sure saw a lot of coke drinking last week. They will bring you a big carafe of tap water for dinner. U Express or Monoprix have coke and other soft drinks. No frig or ice in your hotel so be prepared. We love having a frig and even had ice trays. Our apartment in Verdun had none and we used yogurt cups to freeze ice in the frig for our Jameson. They do have some decent prices on liquor. They might like the cider, I get brut but they might like the cidre doux. Not that much alcohol in it.

>>we used yogurt cups to freeze ice in the frig for our Jameson. <<

When ever I stay in a flat in Europe or the UK I bring a plastic ice cube tray with me. I travel carry-on only and there is always space to stick in a cheap ice tray. I just leave it behind on my return home.

Thank you all so much for your prompt replies and suggestions. I was unaware that coke was available so much cheaper at the store. We will improvise, if necessary.

A six pack of Coke costs less than 3 euros at the store, and the big 1.5 liter bottles are even cheaper. 50 cl bottles out of a machine in the metro cost 2 euros.

Hoping the dollar strengthens for you as I hated the 1.25 exchange rate. I got used to it at much lower rates. We each had about 50 euro left over for next trip. The price of many items are reasonable at grocery store.

Yeh even year ago when I dined with my son and family out it always make me cringe when son would order an Orangina or so - at about $4 a pop. As others say above ask for table water for the whole crowd (eau robinet I think) and save lots of money.

You'd be delighted to pay 4 euro for a glass of wine. He wants an orangina (or coke)... same difference. Drink what you want. For free water you ask for un carafe d'eau.

I was in two restaurants yesterday and in both places locals were drinking Cokes. It's simply not true that nobody shells out money for those kinds of drinks in France. At least not in Paris. I watched the waitress take her lunch break and she put a big liter bottle of Coke on the table.

All soft drinks are always cheaper at a store than a restaurant, in all countries, aren't they? YOu can even buy a bottle of coke in the metro stations, but I think it's a bit more than from a big grocery store, of course. And tons of French people do drink Coke and other soft drinks, I see it a lot myself.

Wine isn't 4 euros a glass typically at the places I go in Paris, wish it were, the grander cafes and restaurants (I don't mean expensive restaurants, just not holes in the wall) charge more like 6-7 euro for a glass of wine, especially at night. Sometimes 5 for the no name kind (house red or whatever, not a specific type you specify like Brouilly or Cotes du Rhone).

Actually, in a café 4 euros is the usual price for a ballon of the standard wines in a normal café. Perhaps not in Saint Germain des Prés or other tourist ghettos.

Although I know that a lot of 18 year olds are not attracted to alcohol (I wasn't until about age 20 or so), the OP should know that the son is at an age to be able to drink whatever he wants in France. Even though a lot of kids don't feel comfortable doing this in front of their parents, a trip to Europe can be an appropriate time to change the rules a bit and graduate to more adult beverages -- under supervision.

Well, it must be a Paris or big city thing, because you hardly ever see anyone at all drinking a Coke where we live, except American tourists. And a nice ballon of wine will cost anywhere from 1,50 to 3,00 euros, 4,00 if you go to the high-end places or which there are few..