The French love for the grape is legendary and unparalleled. Needles to say you won’t need to look far to find a place to buy alcohol. Supermarkets and grocers (epiceries) join speciality wine, champagne and beer stores in selling a huge variety of beverages. Not to mention the enormous array of bars, tabacs, restaurants and even boulangeries that serve alcohol at all hours. But no matter where the purchase is made, buyers can be sure of one thing – sound advice is always on hand. Knowledge of wine is a point of cultural pride, and rarely will you stumble across an alcohol vendor unable or unwilling to offer a knowledgeable opinion. Neither is price a stumbling block: of course costs for a single bottle can reach in to the hundreds but for most there is good drinking to be had for as little as €10.

Specialist wine retailer, Nicolas, is a good first port of call with branches all over the city. Les Caves Auge is the oldest wine seller in Paris, however Lavinia has perhaps the biggest selection in addition to a wine bar and restaurant (though prices can be slightly inflated). Galeries Lafayette also has a great general selection in its wine cellar located at Lafayette Gourmet on Boulevard Haussmann, while La Derniere Goutte in the heart of St Germain sells French and international wines, holds frequent tastings and caters to English-speakers. Specialised retailers also abound: fans of Bordeaux will find all they need at La Maison des Millesimes, a wine merchant selling only Bordeaux-region wines that is also open Sunday, while Le Nez Rouge houses a good selection of foreign wines alongside many smaller, less known French producers. Arômes et Cépages has its focus firmly fixed on wines of the organic variety.

Neither will beer drinkers find themselves left out in the cold. At Beer Specials in the 11th arrondissement you can discover beers from Belgium, Portugal, Poland, Scotland and even China. Those interested in the beer making process can find out more at Biere de Brie farm and brewery near Paris where visitors can also sample product. Supermarkets sell a wide range of international and domestic beers starting from around €6 for a six-pack.

For spirits, La Maison du Whisky stocks an extensive range of Scottish, Irish, American and Japanese whiskies, with a sales staff that knows its tipple. Ryst Dupeyron is a family store which has sold Armagnac, the French liqueur, for generations and has bottles dating to the mid 19th century. Vintage port and rare whiskies can also be found here. Vodka, gin, tequila, mixers and whatever other spirit needs that arise can be met at general supermarkets and grocers, where a standard bottle of spirits is likely to set you back about €15.

When it comes to restrictions on alcohol, there are few. While the legal drinking age is set at 18, enforcement is almost unheard of: courtesy of a culture which permits tastes of wine with dinner for children as young as 10 years old and France suffers less from the problems of under-age drunkenness which afflicts other Anglicised nations.