The Box of the Century
American Prohibition, a French Windfall
Directed by Yassir Guelzim, Xavier FréquantS15 • E3 Jan 19, 2025 54m
December 5, 1933, marked the end of the "Volstead Act", which prohibited Americans from drinking, importing or selling alcohol. During twelve years of prohibition, the hub of trafficking in North America, the small colony of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, experienced incredible growth. French products, champagne in particular, were popular across the Atlantic. This providential windfall benefited the French economy. The successive French governments during this period did everything they could to promote this trade, to the great displeasure of the Americans.
