Wine by the hour

I'm watching a show on TV called "La Route des Vins" and it's about Paris back in the days before World War II.

One old guy was just telling about his father's business selling wine, other farm products, and farm supplies and equipment. He said his father sold "wine by the hour" -- il vendait le vin à l'heure. People would bring their sandwich or their picnic food and then pay a set fee for the right to drink as much as they wanted for, say, an hour, or two.

Then they would curl up under a table or in a corner and take a nice nap.

Those days are long past, I guess.