Do the French really drink a lot of wine?
Do the French really drink a lot of wine? People in France drink more wine than anywhere else and they're notably healthier than Americans – a phenomenon that has been called the French Paradox. While it's true that moderate amounts of red wine have been linked to longevity and a host of other health benefits, there seems to be something more at play.
Why do the French drink so much wine?
According to Roland Barthes, wine is the French nation's totem-drink.” It is the equivalent of tea in Britain and beer in Germany. France and wine; now there's a story! A common French expression effectively demonstrates the social role of this drink in the land of Saint-Emilion and Chablis: vin d'honneur.