The French 75 recipe
for your table
Shake gin, lemon juice and syrup briefly with ice.
Double-strain into a chilled flute.
Top up gently with champagne.
Garnish with a long, thin lemon zest.
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The story
The drink was served at Harry's New York Bar in Paris around the First World War and takes its name from the most famous French artillery piece of the time: the 75 mm field gun, the 'Soixante-Quinze'. Soldiers and journalists thought the combination of gin and champagne hit just as hard. Harry MacElhone and later the Stork Club in New York made it famous; in the classic film Casablanca, it is ordered prominently. Today, it is the sophisticated sister of the gin and tonic, and just as festive as ever.
The right glass
The French 75 belongs in a flute: tall, narrow and stemmed, so the champagne mousse stays lively for as long as possible. A 19 to 24 cl flute provides exactly the right balance between cocktail base and bubbles. Choose crystal glass with a thin rim for the full celebratory feel. After all, this is a cocktail for special occasions. If you prefer it in a coupe with Roaring Twenties allure, take a look at our champagne coupe glasses.
RCR Brillante Champagne Flute 19 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco Tre Sensi Champagne Glass / Flute 21 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 75,90.
The right tools
For a French 75, in addition to the glass, you use a shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a fine strainer for double straining, a citrus press and a zester for the twist. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 113,70.
Variations & twists
Replace the gin with cognac for a French 125, which is rounder and warmer. A sugar cube with Angostura on the bottom turns it into a cross between this and the Champagne Cocktail. For large groups: shake the gin-lemon base in a carafe beforehand and top each glass with bubbles. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Servingtip
Everything should be cold: the gin, the glass, and the champagne. For a softer version, replace the gin with cognac, and you'll have a 'French 125'.
Good to know
The ratio of gin to bubbles
Three centiliters of gin, 1.5 cl lemon juice, and 1 cl sugar syrup form the base, after which 6 to 9 cl champagne fills the glass. That's roughly 1 part gin to 2 to 3 parts bubbles. With 6 cl, you get a strong, gin-forward version of around 16 percent; with 9 cl, it stays festive and light at around 12 percent. Always pour the bubbles last and slowly along the inside of the glass, because in a narrow flute they will otherwise foam straight over the rim.
Champagne, prosecco, or cava
Champagne is the classic choice and offers the greatest depth thanks to its aging on yeast. A dry prosecco works excellently and costs half as much; it's fruitier and slightly less complex, which is barely noticeable in a cocktail with lemon and sugar. Cava falls somewhere in between, with its slightly nutty note. The only firm requirement is that the bottle is brut, not demi-sec, because there's already 1 cl of sugar syrup in the glass. Chill the bubbles to around 6 degrees; a lukewarm bottle will foam over and lose its bubbles within a minute.
French 75, French 125, or French Martini
The names may sound similar, but the drinks are not. The French 75 is made with gin, lemon, sugar, and champagne in a flute. Replace the gin with cognac and you're drinking a French 125: rounder, warmer, and much less sharp. The French Martini has nothing to do with bubbles and is made with vodka, Chambord, and pineapple juice, shaken hard until a layer of foam forms and served in a martini glass. If you're looking for an aperitif that looks festive yet still tastes crisp, choose the 75; if you want something sweet and fruity, go for the Martini.
For a group: prepare the base in advance, add bubbles per glass
For a drinks party or New Year's Eve, you don't want to be shaking each glass individually. Mix gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup in a ratio of 3 to 1.5 to 1 in a carafe - so for ten people, use 30 cl gin, 15 cl lemon juice, and 10 cl syrup. Chill this base for at least two hours, so you won't need to shake when serving. Pour 5.5 cl of the base into each flute and top up with 6 to 9 cl champagne. Allow roughly one bottle of bubbles for every four to five glasses, and juice the lemons the same day.
Which gin works in a French 75?
The French 75 cocktail contains only 3 cl of gin alongside lemon, sugar and bubbles, so a mild gin quickly disappears. A classic London Dry with pronounced juniper stands up to it and does not clash with the champagne. Floral or strongly herbal gins can work too, but pair them with a neutral prosecco rather than a mature champagne. If desired, make the sugar syrup yourself by dissolving equal parts sugar and water; that way, you control how sweet the base is, and in this small glass, you notice it immediately.
A French cocktail with bubbles
The French 75 is considered the best-known French cocktail with champagne: a Parisian bar, a French cannon name and a French product in the glass. The collective name French cocktail also includes the French 125 with cognac and the French Martini with vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice, although the three only share the name. If you serve several French classics in one evening, start with the 75 as an aperitif and save the heavier cognac version for later; that way, the fresh lemon zest is not lost behind a fuller flavor.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a French 75?
Gin, fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup and champagne. Briefly shake 3 cl gin, 1.5 cl lemon juice and 1 cl sugar syrup with ice, double-strain into a chilled flute and top with 6 to 9 cl chilled champagne. A long, thin lemon zest completes it.
Why is the cocktail called French 75?
The name refers to the French 75 mm field gun from the First World War, the Soixante-Quinze. Soldiers and journalists at Harry's New York Bar in Paris found that the combination of gin and champagne packed an equally powerful punch. Later, New York's Stork Club made it world-famous.
Can you make a French 75 with prosecco?
Yes, as long as the bubbles are dry. A brut prosecco or cava works excellently and is often more sensible for mixing than expensive champagne. Avoid extra dry or demi-sec: the recipe already contains sugar syrup, so the cocktail quickly becomes too sweet.
Which glass do you use for a French 75?
A champagne flute holding 19 to 24 cl. Its tall, narrow shape keeps the champagne's mousse intact the longest, while the stem prevents your hand from warming the bubbles. Choose crystal with a thin rim: see our champagne flute glasses.
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