French traditions

In France, tea is treated with almost the same warmth as in England. Tea was first introduced to France around the same time as it was introduced to England. It was mainly used by the noble class. It was initially touted as a cure, but French doctors quickly refuted this, even stating that the amount of caffeine in tea posed a potential health threat. To this day, many French families do not allow their children to drink tea because of its caffeine content. And many adults also prefer natural, caffeine-free herbal teas such as chamomile or verbena.

However, for the French, camellia japonica tea is considered real tea. Tea rooms are numerous not only in Paris, but also in other French cities. The atmosphere in French teahouses is a little more formal than in English ones. The teapots are porcelain, the furniture is elegant, but the main focus, of course, is on the highest quality tea. The French usually drink afternoon tea with delicate pastries.