He picked it out of five covered glasses without hesitating, which says less than it sounds like — it is the most mineral-heavy thing on the table. The ambassador. Americans think it is what France drinks, which is not quite it — France drinks Cristaline and serves Evian. But the bottle is honest: one spring, 345 milligrams of minerals per litre, and nothing added, because nothing is permitted to be added. It is the real thing. It is simply not the everyday thing.
MyFrenchHusband Approved · Boissons
Is Evian actually French?
Approuvé
The Record
| Category | Eau minérale naturelle (natural mineral water) |
|---|---|
| Source | The Cachat spring, Évian-les-Bains, Haute-Savoie |
| Owner | Danone (France) |
| Bottled | At the source, as the law requires |
| Mineral content | 345 mg/L dissolved solids |
The Three Questions
- 1. Is the company French?
- Yes. Danone is a French company, headquartered in Paris.
- 2. Is the thing in the packet made in France?
- Yes. French natural mineral water must be bottled at its source and may not be treated or modified, so every bottle — in Paris or in Boston — comes from the same spring above Lake Geneva.
- 3. Do French people actually buy it?
- Yes, but with a caveat. Evian is a real presence in France, not an export-only brand. It is also not what most households buy day to day; that is Cristaline.
His Verdict
Questions, answered
Is Evian actually French?
Yes. Evian is owned by Danone, a French company, and is bottled at a single protected spring at Évian-les-Bains in Haute-Savoie. As a natural mineral water it may not be altered in any way, so the bottle sold in America is the same water sold in France. French people drink it — though not as often as they serve it.
Who owns Evian?
Danone (France). Yes. Danone is a French company, headquartered in Paris.
Do French people actually drink Evian?
Yes, but with a caveat. Evian is a real presence in France, not an export-only brand. It is also not what most households buy day to day; that is Cristaline.
Sources
- French natural mineral water rules — single source, no treatment permitted.
Verdict verified August 2026. Ownership changes hands often; if this is out of date, tell us and we will correct it and say so.