Association doesn’t establish causation. The amount of alcohol consumed in France is among the highest in Europe, so that will contribute to the likelihood of finding associations with alcohol consumption. Still, the data deserve consideration, and I wouldn’t dismiss it without looking at the statistical methods they used and what controls they used.
The problem with causation is that these so-called “smart people” are always looking for the singular cause and solution.
It’s a bit more complicated than that for those who seek to live out their life expectancy absent symptoms & conditions (aka “diseases”) which compromise quality of living or life expectancy.
The solution, however, is rather simple and I hope to publish my take on that this summer.