French restaurant fined 8k for refusing to serve tap water

"A restaurant has been fined €8,000 for refusing to serve tap water, contrary to French law which says that free tap water must always be available if requested. The restaurant in the upmarket ski resort of Val Thorens has been fined €8,000 by the country's anti-fraud office, for telling customers that tap water was not available in the establishment. A press release from the Direction générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des fraudes (DGCCRF), said that the restaurant, Les Aiguilles du Péclet in Val Thorens,"

"Although all French restaurants, bars and cafés are obliged to offer free tap water, foreigners are often charged for expensive mineral water if they make the mistake of not specifying tap water. If you ask for simply ' de l'eau' (water) you will usually be brought mineral water. If you want tap water you need to specify either ' une carafe d'eau' or ' un pichet d'eau'. Mineral water can be more expensive than wine, especially in touristy areas."

French law under article L.112-1 of the Code de la consommation requires restaurants, bars and cafés to provide free tap water to customers who ask. Les Aiguilles du Péclet in Val Thorens was fined €8,000 by the DGCCRF for refusing to serve tap water and offering only paid mineral water. Foreign visitors and some local customers are often charged for mineral water when they do not explicitly request tap water. Customers should request "une carafe d'eau" or "un pichet d'eau" rather than saying simply "de l'eau". Ski resorts such as Courcheval, Méribel and Val Thorens report repeated incidents.

Read at The Local France