Key Points - Alcohol consumption in France has been steadily declining since the 1950s, primarily due to a decrease in wine consumption, with a shift away from table wine toward higher-quality products consumed in smaller quantities. France remains one of the European Union countries with the highest alcohol consumption, but it no longer ranks first. The proportion of people aged 15–75 who drink alcohol daily has halved over the past twenty years, dropping from 24% in 1992 to 11% in 2010, giving way to more occasional drinking. Indeed, among the general population, there is a pattern of young adults engaging in heavy, occasional drinking, and an older demographic that drinks regularly but in smaller volumes, particularly among women. The proportion of people with alcohol-related problems remains stable, affecting about one in 10 adults. The proportion of people reporting having drunk six or more drinks on a single occasion at least once a month over the past twelve months rose from 15.0% in 2005 to 18.2% in 2010. Heavy episodic drinking and the frequency of intoxication appear to be on the rise among adolescents and young adults in recent years. These practices carry short-term risks (accidents, violence, unwanted or unprotected sex, or even coma), while chronic alcohol abuse leads to numerous liver, cardiovascular, and neuropsychiatric complications, as well as cancers. The health consequences of alcohol make it a major factor in preventable morbidity and premature mortality. The apparent beneficial effect of moderate alcohol consumption on the risk of death from cardiovascular disease is the subject of recurring scientific controversy, but its major harmful effects in terms of noncommunicable diseases remain paramount in public health decisions regarding alcohol use. [author’s abstract]