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Drinks

This is probably only a partial list of all the French things you might drink in France, but it’s all the boissons (drinks) that I’ve encountered (and mostly tried). There are probably as many (if not more) liqueurs and spirits (spiritueux) as there are vineyards.

Wine of course is what France is best known for—a subject that deserves an app on its own. I’ve included some unusual wines and wine words, and some useful links, but expect more details in updates of the app.

absinthe

The ‘Green Fairy’

angélique

angelica

Anisette

anise flavour liqueur

apéritif

pre-dinner drink and/or appetizers

Armagnac

Gascony’s beloved brandy

Avèze

bitter booze from the Auvergne

babeurre

buttermilk

Bénédictine D.O.M.

orange and honey liqueur

bière

beer

Blanquette de Limoux

world’s oldest bubbly

bulles

bubbly

Byrrh

wine and quinine aperitif

café

coffee

Calvados

apple brandy

Cap Mattei

Corsica’s favourite apéritif

Chambord

raspberry liqueur

Champagne

world famous bubbly

Chartreuse

The world's only green liqueur

chicorée

chicory greens or roots

chocolat chaud

hot chocolate

chouchen

Breton mead

cidre

apple cider

Clairette de Die

traditional bubbly from the Drôme

Cognac

double distilled brandy from the Charente

Cointreau

bitter orange liqueur

crémant

traditional method sparkling wine

crème de cassis

blackcurrant liqueur

diabl0

fizzy lemonade with syrup

digestif

after dinner tipple

Dubonnet

quinine-flavoured vermouth

eau

water, and some other drinks

eau de vie

double distilled clear brandy

Farigoule de Forcalquier

thyme liqueur

Fénelon

A southwestern aperitif

Fine de Bordeaux

Bordeaux’s brandy

Floc de Gascogne

The ‘Flower of Gascony’

Get

peppermint liqueur

glaçons

ice cubes

Grand Marnier

Cognac and bitter orange

grenadine

red syrup

Guignolet

cherry liqueur

Hypocras

medieval cure all

Izarra

herbal liqueur, Basque style

Jacquez

Black Spanish or Lenoir grapes

jus

juice

Kamok

coffee digestif

Kir

white wine cocktail

Kirsch de Fougerolles

cherry eau de vie

La Vieille Prune

plum brandy from the Lot

lait

milk

Lambig

Breton apple brandy

Lillet

famous Bordeaux apéritif

limonade

lemon soda

Macvin-de-Jura

vin de liqueur from the Jura

Marasquin

Maraschino

marc

eau de vie

mignonnette

miniature

mistelle

a fortified apéritif

Noilly Prat

France’s oldest Vermouth

Origan du Comtat

Mont Ventoux’s oregano-scented liqueur

panaché

a shandy—or a mélange

pastis

anise flavoured apéritif

Picon

orange, quinine and gentian bitter apéritif

Pineau des Charentes

grape juice fortified with Cognac

poire Williams

Williams’ bon chrétien or Bartlett pear

poiré

perry (pear cider)

pommeau

fortified apple must

Pousse Rapière

for making a Gascon spritz

ratafia

fruity eau-de-vie-based apéritif

Rhum agricole

French Caribbean rum

Rhum arrangé

fruity rum

sirop

cordial, syrup or squash

St-Germain

elderflower liqueur

Suze

gentian-based apéritif

thé

tea

tisane

herbal tea

Triple-sec

orange liqueur

trou Normand

literally a ‘Norman hole’

Troussepinete

blackthorn-leaf apéro of the Vendée

Vermouth de Chambéry

Historic Alpine Vermouth

vin

wine

vin cuit

‘cooked’ dessert wine

vin de paille

straw wine

vin doux naturel

naturally sweet wine

Vin Jaune

Sherry-like yellow wine from the Jura

Vin Mariani

Before there was Coca Cola

wine words

some that might be useful

xérès

sherry

Text © Dana Facaros

Image by Qywee, Public Domain