The matter will not have escaped you this weekend and at the start of the week: it is hot in mainland France. Terribly hot. Few corners of France seem spared from this blazing sun, which can quickly transform any outdoor outing into a real ordeal.
A few steps in town, not a patch of shade on the horizon, it’s sweating under the cap and it’s the heatstroke that awaits. You need to hydrate quickly to avoid ending up face down on the ground. Problem: Impossible to find a place to buy a bottle of water! Only a restaurant and a bar appear, like a mirage, on a street corner. But can you ask for a free glass of tap water there? Even without consuming anything?
Hot shot on the glass of water
A very common idea is that bars and restaurants are legally obliged to serve a free glass of water to anyone who requests it, just to hydrate a bit. However, this is totally… false.
What does the law say? According to article L541-15-10 of the environmental code, restaurants and drinking establishments are required to clearly inform consumers of the possibility of requesting free drinking water. Establishments must also provide their customers with access to fresh or temperate drinking water intended for consumption. Do you see the nuance?
The obligation to provide free tap water is very real, but it only concerns… the establishment’s customers. In other words, as soon as you consume a dish or a drink that you pay for, water in a carafe or glass is free (with the exception, obviously, of bottled mineral water). The establishment is then required to provide it to you if you wish.
On the other hand, nothing legally obliges this same establishment to serve free water to a passing person who does not consume anything. Even if you arrive thirsty and you ask nicely, with the eyes of an English cocker spaniel… A bar is therefore not intended to replace a public fountain (knock knock Town Hall, we’re thirsty!).
Friendly as a waiter
That’s for the legal part. In fact, waiters and waitresses rarely refuse to give a small glass of water to a passing person, when the request is made with courtesy and a smile. This is surely why this belief in a legal obligation is so widespread: there are few restaurateurs who draw out the article of law to send away someone who is simply looking to hydrate.
In periods of extreme heat, common sense, solidarity and responsibility often prevail. And the overwhelming majority of establishments happily accept this small service, without charging. If you’re elderly, pregnant, have a child, or are struggling with the heat, it’s usually a no-brainer. For others, don’t forget the cocker spaniel eyes, just in case.
In case of extreme heat, the small glass of water that a restaurant owner will give you for free will be far from being enough to hydrate you properly.
Another scenario often arises: when two people sit on the terrace, but only one orders a drink. Is the other entitled to their small jug of free water if they request it? Once again, legally, nothing forces a restaurateur to accept. However, in practice this is generally not a problem. And then, otherwise, nothing stops you from asking your friend, who has consumed, to ask for his free water… before taking a swig. Gangster.
How many liters of water during the heatwave?
A reminder, in passing: that little glass of water that a restaurateur will slip you for free will be far from being enough to hydrate you properly! Particularly during periods of intense heat like the one we are going through.
The human body is made up of approximately 60% water, but it continually loses water throughout the day, through urine, sweating and even breathing. And when the heatwave hits, the body redoubles its efforts to maintain its temperature around 37°C, in particular by producing more sweat. An essential mechanism to avoid overheating, but which also accentuates dehydration.
Normally, daily water needs are estimated at around 2 liters for a woman and 2.5 liters for a man, of which around 20% is covered by food. Also count 2.3 liters per day for a pregnant woman and 2.7 liters for a breastfeeding woman.
For the elderly, who feel less thirsty and regulate their body temperature less effectively, but also for children, whose water reserves are more limited, good hydration throughout the day is all the more important. Allow at least 1.5 liters of water per day for seniors. For children, the needs are around 0.9 to 1 liter per day between 1 and 3 years old, then around 1.3 liters between 4 and 8 years old.
In case of very high heat, it is advisable to increase all these contributions. For an adult, consumption can rise to 3 or 4 liters of water per day without any particular difficulty. But don’t count on restaurateurs to hydrate you for free at this point!
