Originally Posted by
WingSlinger
In France, once, I was offered wine with dinner. I declined, politely, saying that I do not drink. The host incredulously replied "but this is not drinking, this is wine".
That phrase has been used so often, although I’ve never actually heard a Frenchman ( or woman ) say it, that it belongs in the hackneyed phrase almanac. That said, at the French base at Cazaux, where their ‘force de frappe’ guys were based, wine was available on tap at lunchtime, and regularly imbibed by the guys on QRA, in their goon suits. As it was at L’Orient and Landivisau. The mess at Nîmes-Garons has its own domaine and this was served at lunch and dinner. And bloody good it was to. So it was part of the culture then, mid 80’s or so. Suspect long gone.