drinking/clubbing age in france?

can anyone tell me how old you have to be to go clubbing or to a bar in france? just wondered because i'm going to paris on holiday soon!

i heard you have to be 16 to buy alcohol but i dont know if its the same for nightclubs. i'm 17 but don't exactly look old for my age, do they tend to ask for ID?

thanks!

Reply 1

Annaconda

i dont know about france, but in italy its 16, and i was 16 when i was there, and look young for my age and they never asked for ID in the about 10 places we went to, and the same happened to my friend in greece.
I think generally theyre more relaxed about it on the continent

Reply 2

Cupid Stunt

I bought Alcohol when I was 14 from Spain, guess it's the same in France probably...

Basically they don't care, but the age 16 I think.

Reply 3

Mcjazz

I went clubbing in France at 16, that's the age.
Edit: Oh and yeah they asked for id. I had my passport on me, went with my french exchange partner.

Reply 4

charlotteb08

The age is 16. My mums French and we go there a lot and I have never been asked for ID, they are a lot more relaxed over there it seems

Reply 5

flimp

I don't know about clubs but it's definately 16 for drinking. And they never ID'd me or anyone regardless what age you looked. (This was in Lourdes lol)

Be aware that when we went to Paris for a friend's 18th we couldn't get served in Disney World (or whatever it's called), they wanted you to be 18 AND have ID to prove it. I think it was because they're more a commercial company.

Reply 6

Cupid Stunt

charlotteb08

The age is 16. My mums French and we go there a lot and I have never been asked for ID, they are a lot more relaxed over there it seems

lol! A lot is an understatement, most places don't give a ****...

Many of my friends have bought alcohol abroad from the ages of 13/14, they are pretty young looking too, and it was stuff like crates of beer and bottles of vodka.

So yea, most places don't care.

Reply 7

melissasaurus

Thanks everyone, thats what I wanted to hear! Why can't it be more like that in this country.. lol :frown:

Reply 8

yodude888

I was in Paris a few weeks ago, clubbing and drinking underage is VERY easy.
Just dress in something mildly rich looking, and be very confident...

Reply 9

brimstone

I went to a couple of clubs in France that were supposed to be 18+, but no one got IDed.

Reply 10

Nath_england

melissasaurus

Thanks everyone, thats what I wanted to hear! Why can't it be more like that in this country.. lol :frown:

Because sadly its the majority that seem to ruin it for the minority here.

Reply 11

HJV

Cupid Stunt

I bought Alcohol when I was 14 from Spain, guess it's the same in France probably...

Basically they don't care, but the age 16 I think.

In Spain the legal limit is 18. This is quite strictly supervised in nightclubs. Bars are more lenient, if you're 16 you'll probably get served unless it's a particularly classy bar.

Shops don't tend to care about age limits, but they do sometimes ID people, particularly the bigger ones. You can always get booze from a "chino", a Chinese shop though. They never ID you..

Reply 12

traxhill

Alcohol is for lonely, depressed people.
if you want to have fun for real, just try not to imitate older persons…when I had 17-18 I used to think the same (few beers are good to catch the “wave&#8221 :wink:

, but now I just realized how stupid I was. Now I can have more fun with a clear mind.

I know that boys are trying to give a lot of alcohol to young girls for an advantage after the party, but this is the weapon for a weak person.
:smile:

Reply 13

Constante

i bought absinthe when i was 16 in bulgaria, when the drinking age is 18, its the same all over the continent, they dont really care.

drinking age = 16 in france, italy, spain, maybe portugal.

Reply 14

Ruthie!

16 but take ID just in case. I'm 17 too, can't wait to goout when I go there in two weeks!!

Reply 15

traxhill

Constante

i bought absinthe when i was 16 in bulgaria, when the drinking age is 18, its the same all over the continent, they dont really care.

drinking age = 16 in france, italy, spain, maybe portugal.

in my country you can buy alcohol and cigarettes at 7 from the small corners shops ("Madam, these are for my dad!")...they just want to sell anything (even pornographic magazines) to make a small profit :smile:

Reply 16

graceyyC

is it still 16? im going to france in a week and want to go out with my older brothers :smile:

Reply 17

ct2k7

Original post by graceyyC

is it still 16? im going to france in a week and want to go out with my older brothers :smile:

You didn't need to bump a thread from 2008..

Buying alcohol is illegal below the age of 18. Selling alcohol to a minor can be fined. The legal drinking age was raised from 16 in 2006. Drinking alcohol is allowed to minors in private, but supplying them with alcohol that results in intoxication is forbidden.

Thus. Drinking age is 18.