10 specialty drinks and French cocktails to toast the Paris Olympics

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Impress your guests with these festive libations

All eyes will be on France as the Paris Olympics kick off with the opening ceremony on July 26. For the first time in Olympic Summer Games history, the celebration will take place outside of the stadium, unfolding along the main artery of Paris, the Seine River.

As you gather with friends and family to cheer on your favorite athletes, make it extra festive by raising a glass with these French cocktails and Olympic-themed cocktails.

This colorful cocktail shows off the Olympic rings Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Olympic Rings cocktail

The Olympic rings symbolize the Olympics worldwide, so what better way to celebrate than with a cocktail featuring the five rings? We layer colorful ingredients to represent the five interlocking rings — traditionally blue, yellow, black, green, and red symbolize the five continents — and serve them in a chilled martini glass for the ultimate festive drink to serve at your Olympic-themed party.

Get the recipe: Olympic Rings cocktail

A chilled sidecar served in a coupe is perfect for Paris Olympics watch parties Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

French Sidecar

One of our favorite French cocktails, the French Sidecar has been around for over a century and is experiencing a resurgence of popularity because of the Paris Olympics. Made with Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice, this three-ingredient cocktail couldn’t be more delectable. Serve it ice cold.

Get the recipe: French Sidecar

Serve this refreshing cocktail for cheering on Olympic world records Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

World Record cocktail

This tequila-based concoction is perfect for an Olympic-themed party or any summer gathering. Made with tequila and pinot noir (stay with us on this — it’s delicious!), the World Record is fun to pass around when a new world record is achieved. We hope to see a lot of this when U.S. athletes compete!

Get the recipe: World Record cocktail

The French 75 is elegant bubbly cocktail to sip during the Paris Olympics Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

French 75

When it comes to popular French cocktails, the classic French 75 is at the top of the list. It’s light, refreshing, and bubbly, made with Cognac, citrus juice, and sparkling wine or Champagne. If you can’t be at the Olympics in Paris, you can at least pretend and sip our French 75 while watching.

Get the recipe: French 75

Better than French cocktails, these Jell-O shots are for our red, white, and blue athletes Photo courtesy of Lisa O’Driscoll

Patriotic Jell-O shots

We must include one for the USA on this list of Olympic-themed cocktails! These red, white, and blue Jell-O shots are fun to make and even more fun to drink. Combine the Jell-O layers with vodka, and you have a party. Go, team USA!

Get the recipe: Patriotic Jell-O shots

Here's a refreshing cocktail with iced tea and lemonade for all the Olympics golf fans Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Spiked Arnold Palmer

The name Arnold Palmer is synonymous with golf. Though the sport first participated in the Olympics in 1900 and again in 1904, there was a 116-year hiatus before golf was part of the Olympics again in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Arnold Palmer’s favorite beverage was a mix of sweet tea and lemonade. We spiked an Arnold Palmer for an adult-friendly twist to honor the legend and the return of Olympics golf.

Get the recipe: Spiked Arnold Palmer

This French cocktail is perfect for watching the Paris Summer Olympics Photo courtesy of Leah Hall

The Champs-Élysée

This spirit-forward cocktail is a snap to make, perfect for serving at a French-themed meal or your Paris Olympics watch party. Using Calvados for the Cognac pairs nicely with the green Chartreuse that the Champs Élysée cocktail is known for.

Get the recipe: Champs Élysée Cocktail

A French cocktail in name only, the French martini is an elegant sipper Photo courtesy of Veronika Sykorova

French martini

A classic martini uses gin, but this one uses vodka, Chambord, pineapple juice, and lemon juice. It’s a pretty cocktail, garnished with raspberries and a lemon twist. According to my research, this drink wasn’t actually created in France but is named after the French Chambord used to make it. Either way, it’s luscious and elegant to sip.

Get the recipe: French Martini

About Kelly Stilwell

Kelly Stilwell is a food and travel writer who has visited 40 countries in the last 15 years. She writes for a number of publications and is the content creator at Food, Fun & Faraway Places, featuring recipes and vacation ideas.

Kelly’s first book, 100 Things To Do in Sarasota Before You Die, will be released on July 15th.

A former Marylander, Kelly traded cold winters for Florida sunshine 14 years ago and has never looked back.

When she’s not sitting in front of her computer, you’ll find Kelly sitting on a beach somewhere with a good book.