It’s very common for French people to say that English people drink much more than them. But when you live in the UK, you can realize it’s not completely true. The way to drink alcohol is different. A study publishes today compare how young people drink in France and the UK. Let’s explain the differences.
Everyday in France
A little glass of wine ?
French people, adults I mean, can drink everyday. They generally drink one glass of wine at dinner. But they don’t drink to get drunk. It’s more another side of the menu. Young people, teenagers in France drink to be drunk. But they don’t do it quickly. So in a party, they get drunk but along the night. They want to enjoy more the whole party.
In the UK : Mad fridays
A normal friday in the UK
When I came the first time in London and I went out in a pub. At 10 or 11pm, I could see people in suit vomit like crazy at the exit of the pub. Maybe because pubs close early (11pm) they think they have to drink fast and a lot. But generally, they drink once or twice a week compare to French people. For young people, it’s the same, they reproduce the same scheme. And apparently, there is a new trend the “binge drinking”. The game is to drink the fastest as you can to be drunk the quickest as possible. This game is not very common in France even if it exists.
What do you think ? Any experience in France or UK ?
I think another big problem in general is the fact that in London you normally go to drink before dinner instead than after.
I don’t know in France, but if you drink just after work you go for “aperitive” the drinks are little, you socialize and you eat as well.
In Spain it’s even better: any drink you ask (normally Canas…very little glass of beer) you receive tapas, so food.
Here you go to the pub to relax but with a pint after the other you also lose the point of drinking: it’s not more enjoyment and relax but i think it became just need, culture and generalized approved behavior.