Cocktails or Apéro: quelle difference?

Apero time is a very serious time of day in France!  This can be taken at midday just before lunch and/or at the end of the afternoon before dinner – meaning "cocktail hour" to some.

But it's Not "cocktail time". Non, pas du tout (not at all).

Friends gather on terraces, cafes or private homes, anywhere where good vibes flow - especially with spring right around the corner. The traditional drink is to sip: aperitifs, wine, and other specialty wines specifically made for "l'apero", and the ritual must include snacks to share.

Apéro is an abbreviation for an apéritif!

🍹A cocktail, on the other hand, is more about the drink itself. It is crafted, mixed, often chosen for its flavor or style.

Cocktail hour tends to follow a structure, a defined moment before dinner, or part of a planned gathering.

People meet, enjoy a drink, and then => move on.

It marks the beginning of the evening. A cocktail does not usually become the evening.

🍷And this is where the apéro takes a different path. It becomes the moment!

Come join us for our next French-inspired Apero in Truckee at the Mountain Brewery.