Until 1956, it was common practice for French schoolchildren to be served wine with their lunch, with each pupil typically allowed up to four glasses (about 125 ml) a day, reflecting the country’s strong wine culture.
In France, wine is considered an integral part of daily life, and its consumption was not seen as controversial, even among children. Wine, along with beer and cider, used to be sold in school cafeterias, although each school had the discretion to allow it or not. Some parents would even include alcoholic drinks like wine, cider, or beer in their child’s lunch, or encourage their children to have wine with breakfast before going to school.
The ban on alcohol for children under the age of 14 in schools came into effect in 1956, but alcohol wasn’t banned entirely from schools until 1981. Photos and videos of the practice still exist, showing how casual the consumption of wine by children was, as if choosing between red and white wine was as normal as choosing between plain and chocolate milk.
Source : imjustculture