What are teen attitudes on drinking, drugs, and s*x in france?

Question

Next year, I will be spending 10 months going to school in france. I will be a senior in high school, and I'm 18. Living in california, I'm used to partying once a week, often with alcohol and occasionally with drugs. I know that American teenagers also have a pretty lax sexual attitude.

I would like to know what the attitudes are of french teens. Anything you know will be appreciated, but for the record I will be in a more rural area, not paris. My town is located in the South of France, thoguh i forget the name.

Thanks alot.

Answer 1

A majority of them will smoke. Recreational and binge drinking is on the rise. Stay away from drugs, if you get busted the French jail system will not be too fun. They think all Americans are promiscuous with s*x. Since you are outside of Paris they might like you, Parisians are rude jerks to foreigners.

Answer 2

You will find that being a high school student is a lot tougher in France than in the United States. You probably will be years behind your French  classmates as American k-12 education is vastly inferior to the French.

You will also find that school discipline and administrative attitudes are very different. No one, for example, will give a d**n about making you "feel good about" yourself or bolstering your self esteem, which seem to be the principle goals of American public schools. Rather they will expect you to actually know things.  

You will also discover that the French are more formal in many ways than Americans. Loud, boisterous, self congratulatory behavior typical of Americans is regarded with disdain and the casual, lackadaisical attitude towards studying that typifies Americans who prefer to "party" rather than study is not appreciated.

French students in their final year in high school will be preparing for the "Bac" which will, in many ways, define their future. Pass and they go to university. Fail and they don't.

So its not likely you're going to be partying with a bunch of loadies.

And I agree with the previous statement that smoking dope in France is a major mistake. You'll find the French justice system a rude surprise if you get caught.

EDIT:Trust me, I know what a high school for the intellectually gifted is. I went to Stuyvesant High School in NYC, the toughest and best high school that ever was. Admission is by competitive exam and Stuyvesant is said to be some ten times more selective than Harvard. Four of our graduates have won the Noble prize, including my classmate, Richard Axel. Everyone in my graduating class went to college and most of them now have at least one graduate level degree (I have three and that's not unusual amongst Stuyvesant grads).

EDIT@Katya Especially since you are an educator may I suggest that you are not doing the questioner any favor by giving him the impression that engaging in criminal activity while living in a foreign country is an option.  Anti-marijuana laws may be stupid (I certainly think they are) but they are still the law. The American government is very anti-drug and, as  you are probably aware, is not very helpful when Americans are arrested abroad for drug offenses, no matter how trivial.

Answer 3

I hope I can give you a younger view of how things are in France. There are lots of stereotypes of living in France and French teens (see other answers)...but I'm 24 and have worked in French high schools for 2 years; so I'd say I have a different, less 'intellectual' --perhaps more accurate--view.

While the others are correct that drugs are illegal in France...that doesn't mean anything! They are illegal in the US and people still do them! Same in France..they are illegal, but still present. I've overheard many of my students talking about 'smoking up' on the weekend. While I don't advocate this, you should be aware.

Alcohol. As there is technically no legal (enforced) drinking age, many teenagers drink. How many times have I seen students come drunk to class? too many...How many times have I heard "oh i was soo wasted"..too many!

As for s*x, the French are definitely lax. Girls lose their virginity at the average age of 14 and boys 16.

I have had all levels of students, including the 'seniors'. While it's very true that they have the Bac to pass, the attitude I have seen is 'oh well, if i don't pass, I'll just take it again next year.' They certainly don't let Bac preparations take over their lives.

This wasn't in Paris either...

Hope this helps! Have a great (and safe!) stay here!

Edit to Rillifan. No, you may not suggest that. I have no use for Know It Alls. I clearly stated I don't advocate that. This person asked an honest question and I gave an honest answer that  some people in France do drugs.