One of my absolute favorite things about French cities (even small villages) is walking up to a cafe, sitting outside, and having a drink while people watching.  On a trip to Bordeaux, we capped off a week of rain with a couple days of some of the warmest spring weather I’ve ever experienced in France, and found ourselves stopping at the Couleur Cafe (28 Rue du Père Louis Jabrun). My go-to beverage on a sunny day in France?  A panaché.

Yes, yes, the idea of mixing a perfectly good beer with something may be off-putting to brew purists, but trust me – the panaché (also known as a shandy) is a refreshing and often inexpensive choice to quench your thirst. Plus, you’re diluting your beer so you won’t get as buzzed which is good news if you’re a lightweight drinker like I am.

Want to recreate this drink at home?  It’s super simple.

Classic Panaché

1 bottle of light lager (Kronenbourg 1664 and Stella Artois are the two I like)
1 can of 7-Up or Sprite
Tall glass, preferably chilled

Make sure that both your beer and soda are well chilled. Mix beer and soda together in a tall glass, usually in a 1:1 ratio, but you can adjust to your taste.  Kick back and relax as you drink it.