Are you sure you know the drinking laws in France?

There’s so much confusion over the laws about drinking alcohol in France, from the legal drinking age to where and when you can consume alcohol in public in Paris, that I thought it was time to lay it all out for you.

First, the legal drinking age for ALL alcoholic beverages in France is 18.

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A Tour of Ground Control at Gare de Lyon

If you haven’t yet been to Ground Control, imagine an enormous, disaffected hangar behind Paris' Gare de Lyon train station transformed into a community space for locals, families, visitors, the “libres et curieux”, where you can eat, shop, celebrate, learn and make art, all in a spirit of sustainability, solidarity, cultural exchange, and camaraderie.

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Celebrating Bastille Day in Paris: What To See & Do

There's much to see and do on and around La Fête Nationale, aka Bastille Day, July 14th. This is a rundown of just some of the best options, including the dance parties, parade, and fireworks show, as well as some logistical tips on using public transportation and what shops and museums are open. 

Note that Sunday is also the semi-finals match between Algeria and Nigeria for the Africa Cup of Nations. If Algeria wins, there will be thousands of fans pouring into the streets in Paris to celebrate just as the fireworks show starts.

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Ticket Tips for Versailles, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower

If you’re coming to Paris this summer or fall, here are some things to make sure you know before visiting three of the most popular sites.

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Heatwave in Paris: "Can I Wear Shorts?"

Paris is in the middle of its second heatwave of the year, so I thought it was a good time to dig into the Secrets of Paris archives to answer the question so many visitors have asked: "Is it okay to wear shorts in Paris?" 

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Why most travel writing makes us cringe (and how to fix it if you're the guilty party)

Travel writing is a genre already riddled with clichés, but Paris is in a class of its own for inspiring a never-ending literary parade of tired descriptions, hackneyed imagery, and nauseating hyperbole. And frankly, the City of Light deserves better. A dive into the Secrets of Paris archives reveals some of the worst offenders! Read more...