1) Drinking Alcohol on Public Roads
In France, it’s legal to consume alcohol on the public highway (street, sidewalk, beach), but illegal to be intoxicated in public, whereas in the USA it’s forbidden to consume or even visibly carry alcohol.
Exceptions exist in certain cities such as Las Vegas, Gainesville in Florida, Hood River in Oregon, and depending on the situation (festival, beach), but as a general rule, all states (except Indiana) prohibit consumption on public highways.
In France, the state of drunkenness is defined by the authorities according to their own criteria; there is no precise blood alcohol level.
2) Selling Not Pasteurized Cheese
Needless to say, the sale and consumption of unpasteurized, or raw, cheese is of course authorized.
The many cheeses, such as Camembert, Reblochon, Roquefort, Morbier and many more, bear witness to this.
In the United States, on the other hand, things are more complicated.
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) defines what is legal and what is not in terms of food.
As for unpasteurized cheese, this varies from state to state. In California, for example, sales are authorized as long as the milk or its by-products have the word “market milk” visible on the packaging, whereas in Delaware, it’s quite simply illegal.
Other states prohibit it, but only in part, such as Colorado, which bans it in supermarkets, but farmers are allowed to distribute unpasteurized milk, cheese, yogurt, or cream made from it, either free of charge or for sale.
Once again, please specify that the product is made from raw milk.
3) Buying Alcohol at any Time of Day
In France, you can buy alcohol at any time of day, but only under certain conditions.
As it is, businesses selling alcohol have to be open at night, which removes a huge number of possibilities, leaving only grocery stores open 24 hours a day.
Even supermarkets that are open late at night (until 2am, for example) can’t sell them, as they need to be able to check the age of their customers, and these stores generally use automatic checkouts to keep costs down.
In the US, it is possible in some states to buy alcohol late at night, but this may depend on multiple factors in each state.
If you’re planning to travel to one or more states, it’s a good idea to find out in advance what the laws are regarding the sale of alcohol.
Some states allow it, but only under certain conditions, while others have no specific laws, so it’s up to each city or county to decide on a case-by-case basis, visit this site for all the information you need.
4) Kinder Surprise Eggs
And yes, it may sound incredible, but it’s true!
In France, as you can imagine, Kinder Surprises are sold everywhere and are still part of many people’s childhoods.
In the USA, on the other hand, they’re banned from sale, and it’s impossible to bring them back from a trip.
Why, you might ask? Well, in the United States, it’s forbidden to sell food wrapped around a non-edible object, due to the potential choking hazard.
This stems from an FDA article, which bans any food that hides objects inside them.
It’s a bit extreme, considering you really have to want it to swallow a Kinder egg whole with the surprise inside…
5) Alcohol Sales Restrictions
In France, you can buy any kind of alcohol in any supermarket.
It’s a no-brainer, especially for a country with such a drinking culture known for its aperitifs, fine wines, and so on.
In the USA, it’s a completely different story, but only in certain states.
In states such as Utah, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and some counties in Maryland, hard liquor and liqueurs are banned from sale in supermarkets.
You can only buy them in liquor stores, which specialize in the sale of these particular spirits, while beer and light spirits can be found in most supermarkets.
As for the other states, the situation is very similar to that in France: you can find any type of alcohol just about anywhere.
6) Buying and Eating Horse Meat
You can buy and eat horsemeat, even if the practice has lost momentum over the years.
In the United States, horsemeat is not really illegal, but it is made virtually impossible by legislation.
In fact, it is forbidden to finance inspections of horse slaughterhouses, making it impossible to produce and sell horsemeat if no inspections are carried out.
As a result, it is possible to find it if the slaughterhouse has been inspected, but given that horsemeat is not consumed by Americans, it remains virtually impossible to find.
7) Foie Gras Banned in California
In California, the sale and production of foie gras have been banned since 2012 because of the force-feeding procedure, which is deemed barbaric and cruel.
It was briefly lifted in 2015, then reinstated in 2017 by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
It is currently the one and only state that bans the product, but still allows its consumption and import from other states and countries, only impacting its production.
I aim to share my tips and recommendations for the beautiful country of France. My goal is to help you plan your next adventure, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. From finding the best hotels and restaurants, to discovering unique activities and sights, I’ve got you covered!
