French sommeliers adapt to changing drinking habits

The latest episode of France in Focus, a programme from the international news channel France 24, is devoted to the profession of the sommelier in France. A sommelier is a wine and drinks specialist, typically working in a restaurant or wine shop, who helps people choose what to drink. The episode was published on 20 October 2026 and runs for just over 12 minutes.

Preparing for a competition

The reporters present the demanding side of the job. They follow sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier through her painstaking training as she prepares for the World's Best Sommelier competition, a contest for the title of the world's best in the profession.

A profession in transition

The second theme of the programme is how the trade is adapting to changing drinking habits. In this part, the reporters meet a sommelier who has chosen to work alcohol-free.

The source gives no further details about the competition itself, its participants, or how widespread the move towards non-alcoholic options is. The episode is available as a video on the France 24 website.