Legal drinking age in France (Paris)?

Well despite the law change i can tell you that the kids here all drink alcohol when out in public establishments...no law in the world will ever change that unfortunately.

In July of last year, the legal age for purchasing alcoholic beverages was raised to 18 (the age of majority) unconditionally. This is also the minimum age at which a person may be offered alcoholic beverages for free. The law does not apply in private homes, but it is applicable in all public places (restaurants, bars, etc.). The law does not similarly restrict entry into places of business that serve alcohol. A person of at least 16 years of age, accompanied by a parent or guardian, can still enter a bar, although he cannot be sold or given alcohol. For certain liquor licenses, the minimum age is 13 and no parent or guardian is required (but the sale and offer of alcohol are still prohibited). So you won't necessarily be carded at the entrance to a bar, but you might be asked to prove your age if you try to order something. Merchants are not required to ask for ID, but they fail to do so at their own risk. The relevant laws are L3342-1 through L3342-4 of the Public Health Code (Code de la santé publique). Prior to 2009, the law was a lot more complicated, with more exceptions. In any case, no school group is going to be going anywhere near alcohol. Most such groups will immediately put someone onto a plane home if he is caught drinking (this is sometimes applied even to students and counselors who are over the legal drinking age). The fact that drinking is legal in France at 18 or older will not protect an organization if it allows people to drink who are under the legal age back home.