Texas Alcoholic or French Connoisseur?
Texas:
"So what’ll it be?"
“Jack, straight up, no ice.” Or “Round of shots for me and my friends!” Or “Gimme a Bud…yeah bottle is fine, what do I need a glass for?”
Paris:
"Madame, Monsieur, je vous écoute...."
“Je voudrais un verre de Bordeaux, qu’est-ce que vous recommendez?”
Of the many differences between French and American cultures, the consummation of alcohol is one of the most discussed and highly debated topics. Because the mentality and societal implications behind drinking alcohol is so vastly different in each country, a conversation between a typical Texan and a typical Parisian on alcohol is hard to imagine. It is unfair, and wildly inaccurate, to lump every American or every French person into a specific category because, like all societies, people vary across cultural, economic, political, religious and professional categories. So let me be clear before I start. I am speaking from personal experience and not making generalizations. This article is based on my own experiences living in Texas and living in Paris.
So let me start with Texas…
There are Toby Keith country songs called “Get Drunk and Be Somebody” or "I Love This Bar" that are quite popular in bars in Texas because they truly capture the attitude of many Texans who work long hours all week for little money and little respect. But on Friday night after they get paid, they go to their favorite bar, see all of their friends, and spend the night getting drunk and having fun, forgetting the cares of the week and most of the time forgetting that in a few hours they have to drive home.
But the “drink your cares away” mentality in Texas is not relegated to Friday nights or the weekends; it is an every day activity for a lot of people. Going to the bar with coworkers for happy hour, or meeting up with friends there, is a common practice among men and women alike. And in my experience, whether you are a blue-collar worker or businessman/businesswoman in a suit, the amount of alcohol you consume after work is no different. The only difference is the quality and cost of alcohol and the class of the bar you and your friends prefer. It is not only socially acceptable to drink too much and be inebriated, it is often encouraged. I don’t frequent bars anymore (even here in Paris) for various reasons, but when I did there were many times where I said, “I think I’ve had enough for one night. I need to drink some water and chill out before I go anywhere.” And the response is always, “Oh come on! Have one more!”
So, now Paris…
Very different than Texas, in Paris it is quite common for people to have a glass of wine at lunch on their two-hour midday break. The French have a respect and appreciation for fine dining and wine that does not seem to have a starting or stopping point in the day. I have heard people talk about having a glass of wine at breakfast, and the bars here in Paris are open at 7 a.m. so it is definitely possible. And when I lived in Normandy, there were people drinking alcohol at the bars at that time.
However, having a glass of wine to complement what you are eating is different than drinking a few beers before going back to work. And after work, of course people in Paris meet up for happy hour and have a drink or two. But that is usually where it stops. They do not spend all night at the bar having drink after drink until they can barely stand up. They enjoy a glass of wine or two, maybe a crafted beer (always in a glass) but they do so, bid each other “bonne soirée” and call it a night.
Alcohol in Paris is to be appreciated. People consume it in smaller quantities but with better quality. It is almost always wine, beer or champagne in Paris. Unless you are in a nightclub or spending time with an American expat, you will most likely not come across someone taking shots of hard liquor.
In Texas people drink to get drunk. They simply do not understand the concept of enjoying a good glass of wine for the sake of enjoying the flavor. In Paris, they do not understand the idea of drinking alcohol that does not even taste good just to get drunk. So besides the obvious language barriers, that conversation is going to be interesting, even more so if they do it in a bar.
(Photos: Flickr Gilllehme Maria and Jenny Downing)
