2ski

What do you chose when going to a restaurant in Fr, the non-smoking area with the American tourists or where the locals are? I would rather hear French than English in Paris despite being a non-smoker.

Intrepid1

You don't actually believe that everybody in France smokes, do you?

jody

And the seating is a lot better in the smoking areas! If they ..the locals are eating,there is not that much smoking going on..it's just when they are sitting around drinking wine and enjoying the good life!

Underhill

We've been in a number of restaurants where the seating was better in the NON-smoking sections, as a matter of fact.

We've also been in restaurants where people--both French and other--were happily smoking away while eating. So I don't think you can generalize about that.

degas

"I would rather hear French than English in Paris despite being a non-smoker."

All those darn French foo-foo words and clouds of thick smoke wear on my excited nerves when I'm on the prowl in Paris.

There is nothing like lazing around with a wild table full of the close American friends you make when in Europe - talking real loud, laughing at dirty jokes, and making fun of the somber europeans while you share off each others plates, throw rolls, make weird faces at the rich sauces, refuse wine, ask for cokes with extra ice, demand seperate checks and to pay with dollars, and last but not least, pimp the lazy waiters about the high unemployment rates and the french government's inability to fund the crazy social welfare system.

Beatchick

LOL, degas!

One of the prettiest places I ever sat in was the non-smoking section of Bofinger (not trying to argue with Jody!) with it's gorgeous stained-glass dome.

To answer your question, I'd sit with the smokers. But then again, I smoke while in Paris!!

luveurop

Since I am a smoker, I always sit in the smoking section while in Paris.

Luckily for moi, this is an easy thing to do.

I always enjoy learning about the few and far between places in Paris that are smoke-free so I know to avoid them.

Eleni

It depends on where I'm eating. First, if I am going to a fabulous, Michelin starred restaurant, where I want to taste all the lovely nuances in the food and wine, I always sit in the non-smoking section. On the other hand, if I'm in bistrot or other less formal eatery I look to see whether the smoking or non-smoking section looks better, and pick accordingly. I guess I'm saying there are factors that are way more important to me than whether people around me are smoking.

tedgale

Tourists ourselves, we will do anything to avoid being seated with English-speaking tourists.

My reasons are my own -- no sneering, please.

We have occasionally refused tables, asking the waiter if he hasn`t another one ``qui ne soit pas dans le Coin des Etrangers``

The best technique, however, may not be smoking-nonsmoking but the hour at which you dine.

Many good restaurants and charming bistros are tourist-filled until 9, with the locals arriving after 9 pm.

If you really want to blend with the locals, arrive when they do.

rockhopper7

What makes you think you're actually blending with the locals?

bardo1

The non-smoking section is ALWAYS by the restrooms or the kitchen. Also known as the "American Alcove".

If you're lucky, the American Alcove will be in a dark, bare basement while the beautiful, buzzing smoking section is at street level.

Clifton

<i>What makes you think you're actually blending with the locals?</i>

I keep finding their hand in my pocket?

Actually, I do try to sit as far from the non-smokers as possible, but only for health reasons.

Juuuust kidding, I gave all that up. More or less.

Underhill

The non-smoking section at Au Petit Marguery is at the front of the restaurant, far from the restrooms. The one at Le Souffl&eacute; is at the back, in a very pretty separate room. In Fontvielle's La R&eacute;galido the non-smoking room is at the back looking out onto the lovely garden. So no, they're not all in a terrible location, and at Au Petit Marguery we've seldom heard English being spoken.

BTilke

I don't think it's always an either/or situation. At the restaurants we frequent in Angers, for example, hardly anyone smokes. Ditto for various parts of the Berry.
In Paris, again, it's a mix. If you are there in warm weather, try eating outside, away from wherever the breeze would blow smoke.
I find that people tend to smoke a little more during lunches or while having afternoon drinks than at dinner.

Christina

I like to sit where I think it's a nice spot, smoking or not is irrelevant to me. Smoking doesn't bother me in almost any place, except very enclosed and small spaces and those with horrible ventilation. Those would be places like trains (and used to be airlines until they went smokefree). I think a lot of trains are nonsmoking now, also, but I just sit in the nonsmoking section on trains and that's fine. As I said, I don't really care about the whole thing, it's never bothered me usually and I just don't think about the whole thing.

The one exception is cigars which I detest with a passion in a restaurant. I think if anything should be banned, those should (except for cigar bars where you know those guys go). Cigar smoke near me makes me usually sick to my stomach, even though I am not bothered by other smoke.

I am pretty laid back about things like this, and just don't like the whole idea of segmented rooms and areas, and so perversely don't request being put in special areas with one kind of people. I know, if I had a choice of non-cigar room, I would choose it (this isn't a huge problem since few people smoke cigars, but has been a couple times for me in France where I was near some of those guys).

Scarlett

We are used to the fact that they smoke in Paris. We are not home with our non smoking rules, so we forget about it and enjoy Paris and the restaurants anyway!
I have never chosen my seating in a restaurant dependent on where I think the other diners are from!
So many times we will be the only Americans sitting in a small cafe/bistro and the French couple ( not long ago it was a German couple) hear us speaking to each other and strike up a conversation with us in English..
Does this mean that you would not want to hear British people speaking at the next table either?

kerouac

Many restaurants (in Paris) are more than 50% non-smoking now, and most of the nonsmokers are French. However, it is true that if I happened to notice that all of the people seated in the nonsmoking section were Americans, I would probably avoid it. This has little chance of ever happening to me because 1) I live in Paris and avoid tourist areas 2) I would probably avoid ever using the restaurant recommendations of an Amercian guidebook.

Sue_xx_yy

Depends. If I'm going to a restaurant to eavesdrop, then the content of the conversation is going to trump the language in which it is being spoken. I'll not pass up a chance to overhear state secrets by Henry Kissinger spoken in English - unless of course Madame is telling her best friend about her affair with the gardener, in which case it would be a close decision.....

Now, please pass the chocolate mousse....