A restaurant has been fined €8,000 for refusing to serve tap water, contrary to French law which says that free tap water must always be available if requested. READ ALSO: Six things to know about tap water in France✎AdvertisementAlthough all French restaurants, bars and cafés are obliged to offer free tap water, foreigners are often charged for expensive mineral water if they make the mistake of not specifying tap water. If you ask for simply 'de l'eau' (water) you will usually be brought mineral water. If you want tap water you need to specify either 'une carafe d'eau' or 'un pichet d'eau'. When they cited the law, the server told them that the area's tap water was not drinkable.

Source: The Local January 05, 2026 16:44 UTC