# Drinking water in France



## harry (Jun 8, 2005)

Should tap water be OK for drinking (unless signs indicate otherwise)
We will be on ACSI sites most nights.
Thanks


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Yes its fine. I think pretty much most of EUrope these days is ok.

In France if it says non Potable then its not for drinking though. This is usually at water fountains, troughs in villages etc so its pretty obvious.


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Without a doubt *YES* unless it is marked "*eau non-potable*" in which case the answer is "NO!"

You may well find the water has different characteristics to the water in the UK, perhaps less chlorine, maybe harder, maybe a slightly different "flavour" but it is totally drinkable. (Even if you decide it is best diluted........... with alcohol :lol: )

The same goes for tooth cleaning and cooking - unless it is marked as not suitable, then it is OK.

Dave


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Water*

Hi

We have never had any bother drinking water in France, although in certain areas it did taste a bit more bleachy, for the want of a better word. Not noticeable in a hot drink, but noticeable in "just a glass of water"

Russell


----------



## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

I have a particularly sensitive tummy but have never had a problem from drinking tap water in France, although we do tend to run any drinking water through a Brita filter jug in the van and at home, to help with taste and hardness.


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

rogerblack said:


> we do tend to run any drinking water through a Brita filter jug in the van and at home, to help with taste and hardness.


Hey! You should market that! There are literally millions of blokes that would pay a fortune for it! 

As for your sensitive tummy. One of my curries followed by a gallon of Leffe should sort that out! :twisted: When you coming round?


----------



## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

*Drinking Water In France*

Drinking water in France should conform to the European Standard of the World Health Organisation Standard for Drinking Water so generally you should be OK. There may be exceptions of course where the source maybe from a private source such as wells or natural springs. As has already been said, non drinking water is usually marked up as non potable. You might find my articles here useful. 
I'm off to France tomorrow might see you there 

Regards,

Graham


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

IMO you are much more likely to encounter high chlorine levels in the UK than France......

the water around the Exeter area of Devon is extracted from the River Exe, as such it has already been through the people of Tiverton and before them through those of South Molton.....

SWW adds copious quantities of chlorine due to the low lying nature of all the pipes and the taste of chlorine in the water in the City of Exeter is similar to drinking dilute bleach........

We have NEVER encountered any problems with drinking water in France - neither have we noticed the same high level of chlorine that we use to experience daily in Exeter.

Similarly the fore-runner of SWW is well known for the Camelford pollution incident where 20 tonnes of Aluminium sulphate was tipped by mistake into the drinking water supply - and was kept quiet about for 2 weeks...... :twisted:

The outcomes of that are still being dealt with (badly) by the authorities burying their heads in the sand and NOT obtaining the medical records of those compelled to drink the polluted water through the inactions of the Water Board.

This Wikipedia page is an accurate recording of the incident - we lived in Devon throughout that time;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camelford_water_pollution_incident

Note the line from Michael Meacher;

_ "Michael Meacher, the former Environment Minister, claimed that "various associated bodies tried to bury the inquiry from the start." Meacher told one newspaper: "This has become a tug of war between the truth and an attempt to silence the truth."_

Dave


----------



## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

barryd said:


> rogerblack said:
> 
> 
> > we do tend to run any drinking water through a Brita filter jug in the van and at home, to help with taste and hardness.
> ...


I like the way your mind works. Must be why Aldra's so keen . . . :lol:


----------



## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

I can remember bringing tablets to purify the water the first time we came to France with a caravan.
That was in 1978!
We never needed them and never brought them again.

The water is better in france than the Uk.


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Harry - take no notice of those who advise that tap water is safe to drink in France.

It isn't.

Why do you think the French spend millions of €uros on buying bottled water?

I recommend that you drink only *EVIAN*.

Just spell *EVIAN* backwards - you might just twig!


----------



## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

I think you'll find it a lot better to most of their beer :lol:


----------



## Geriatricbackpacker (Aug 21, 2012)

We don't speak very good French so we buy the boxes of the red water marked 'Cabernet Sauvignon' which we think means 'safe to drink'. Never had a problem, even clean our teeth with it.


----------



## sirhandel (Mar 5, 2008)

Just don't fill up your containers near the chemical disposal point. I've witnessed people (not Brits I should add) with the mouth of the toilet cassette right up to and resting on the fresh water tap.


----------



## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Evening all,

In thirty years of going to France I have never had deli-beli

norm


----------



## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I do not know anywhere in Europe where mains water is harmful.
Some of the hotter countries do add more chemicals, which you could be sensitive to. A few countries do have second class water which is used for gardens and sometimes showers (don't drink shower water in some places), but they usually tell you with signs.

After filling my empty tank in France last year, making drinks and washing up, we were visited at about 10 p.m. by a Gendarme carrying a case of Evian water. He explained that the town water was contaminated and gave us a case of water :? We did not die!

Alan


----------



## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

Tap water is fine in France, unless it is labelled otherwise.

What is not so good is bottled water. There have been recent reports of all sorts of nasty things in some French bottled waters, such as heavy metals etc.

Some samples were even radioactive!


----------



## cheshiregordon (Sep 24, 2011)

goldi said:


> Evening all,
> 
> In thirty years of going to France I have never had deli-beli
> 
> norm


your lucky - got a nasty bout after a business trip to Paris and again after eating out the last nite of last years tour around france. To my mind French cuisine is not what it was!!


----------



## cliffhanger (Jun 27, 2008)

Just get an inline filter, 3M do one, they're not difficult to fit then there are no worries. Go anywhere in Europe without the bleach, microbes etc.

HOWEVER. If like me you are sensitive to high Calcium levels in the water, then the filter won't help. E.g. in Portugal I have to drink bottled water with lowest Ca.

regards

Cliff 8)


----------



## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

If you search hard enough you can always find what you want ......

But only drink in moderation!


----------



## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

sirhandel said:


> Just don't fill up your containers near the chemical disposal point. I've witnessed people (not Brits I should add) with the mouth of the toilet cassette right up to and resting on the fresh water tap.


That's why I always add purifying tablets whenever I fill the tank.


----------



## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

sirhandel said:


> Just don't fill up your containers near the chemical disposal point. I've witnessed people (not Brits I should add) with the mouth of the toilet cassette right up to and resting on the fresh water tap.


That's why I always add purifying tablets whenever I fill the tank.


----------



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Why the water is fine??

Just clean the tap, run the water and fill

the spout can contaminate the tap not the water

Good practise anyway to clean the tap before use

Even your filler if not kept scrupulous clean could contaminate the tap

Aldra


----------

