Smoking in France
Sep 25th, 2007, 07:45 AM
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Smoking in France
Having just returned from France one realises how lucky we are to have the smoking ban in Restraunts etc.,
We eat in different restraunts for 12 nights and in most of them there was not a no smoking area, it seems that at least 60% of the french smoked from the second they sat down, and during and between each course of their meal.
As a non smoker it was impossible to enjoy these circumstances.
We eat in different restraunts for 12 nights and in most of them there was not a no smoking area, it seems that at least 60% of the french smoked from the second they sat down, and during and between each course of their meal.
As a non smoker it was impossible to enjoy these circumstances.
Sep 25th, 2007, 08:28 AM
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john44 - I am looking at two of your comments about restaurants in France and wondering just what restaurants you ate in?
<<We eat in different restraunts for 12 nights and in most of them there was not a no smoking area, it seems that at least 60% of the french smoked from the second they sat down, and during and between each course of their meal.>>
<<Definately the most disapointing was eating in Restraunts, poor quality meat that they try and disguise by smothering in Sauces.>>
Certainly all the high end restaurants have no-smoking areas... or do you mean cafes or bistros?
Most of the best seating for these is outside.
BTW - We just returned from a lovely lunch at Metairie in the Dordogne and, because of the rain, everyone was eating inside. There were 12 tables, most with more than 2 people and no one was smoking.
The meat has been superb at all our restaurant choices - nice change from the hormone and tenderized product of home.
<<We eat in different restraunts for 12 nights and in most of them there was not a no smoking area, it seems that at least 60% of the french smoked from the second they sat down, and during and between each course of their meal.>>
<<Definately the most disapointing was eating in Restraunts, poor quality meat that they try and disguise by smothering in Sauces.>>
Certainly all the high end restaurants have no-smoking areas... or do you mean cafes or bistros?
Most of the best seating for these is outside.
BTW - We just returned from a lovely lunch at Metairie in the Dordogne and, because of the rain, everyone was eating inside. There were 12 tables, most with more than 2 people and no one was smoking.
The meat has been superb at all our restaurant choices - nice change from the hormone and tenderized product of home.
Sep 25th, 2007, 08:33 AM
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Yes more plebean cafes, bistros often IME make a mockery of the no-smoking section.
In one of my local haunts in Orleans the two cafes/light meal places i go to all have no-smoking areas:
one consists of a no-smoking sign on one table that is mixed in with the others
another - in the Gare SNCF has three tables near the entrance marked no-smoking - yet i often see folks smoking away right in front of the large no-smoking area sign
i understand next Feb 1 it will all change, enforcement included.
In one of my local haunts in Orleans the two cafes/light meal places i go to all have no-smoking areas:
one consists of a no-smoking sign on one table that is mixed in with the others
another - in the Gare SNCF has three tables near the entrance marked no-smoking - yet i often see folks smoking away right in front of the large no-smoking area sign
i understand next Feb 1 it will all change, enforcement included.
Sep 25th, 2007, 09:17 AM
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We just returned from 3 weeks in France (Brittany), and this past June we spent 5 weeks there (Provence). We choose to dine at Michelin 1 star and 2 or 3 Knife & Fork places. We encountered very few smokers - most places there we none. The few exceptions were diners in their 20s & early 30s. If you dine a little earlier than the French do - (7:30 to 8) you will encounter fewer smokers.
Cafes and places that attract a younger crowd will have more smokers, in my experience. Those are the places we avoid.
Robjame - you dined at one of my favorites !!!
Stu Dudley
Cafes and places that attract a younger crowd will have more smokers, in my experience. Those are the places we avoid.
Robjame - you dined at one of my favorites !!!
Stu Dudley
Sep 25th, 2007, 09:20 AM
#7
I'm wondering, who are "we"? Smoking is allowed in plenty of restaurants in plenty of states of the U.S.
Maybe you should take a look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._United_States
In France, there will be no smoking in any public place as of January 1st, 2008 while half of the U.S. continues to puff away.
Maybe you should take a look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._United_States
In France, there will be no smoking in any public place as of January 1st, 2008 while half of the U.S. continues to puff away.
Sep 25th, 2007, 09:26 AM
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<In France, there will be no smoking in any public place as of January 1st, 2008 while half of the U.S. continues to puff away.>
ironic in that i think the smoking rate for France is significantly higher than in the States!
like health care, etc. U.S. at times refuses to act like a modern enlightened nation.
It's a bit different though as each state must do it theirselves and some, California i believe, and others have started. The federal system sucks IMO and rather have the centralized gov't of France where the whole country basically has the same laws.
Here a murdered could be executed in one state but not in another - the most dramatic example perhaps of varying state laws.
One would think it would be a long time for, say North Carolina to ban smoking in public places.
ironic in that i think the smoking rate for France is significantly higher than in the States!
like health care, etc. U.S. at times refuses to act like a modern enlightened nation.
It's a bit different though as each state must do it theirselves and some, California i believe, and others have started. The federal system sucks IMO and rather have the centralized gov't of France where the whole country basically has the same laws.
Here a murdered could be executed in one state but not in another - the most dramatic example perhaps of varying state laws.
One would think it would be a long time for, say North Carolina to ban smoking in public places.
Sep 25th, 2007, 09:36 AM
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A few years ago we were in a small restaurant in Paris--the waiter showed us to a no-smoking table, with a NS sign, and one on the table next to us. Not to much later, he seated a gentleman, the waiter lifted and removed the sign and the table became a smoking table. C'est la vie!!!
Having just returned from Croatia, we found that in many small restaurants smoking was the norm at all tables. Even outside, it was impossible to get away from smoke. In the hotels in which the tour stayed, most of the DR were smoke-free or at least were clearly divided. At price of cigarettes, it surprizes me that so many people indulge--so many young kids, too. Ciao. mhm
Having just returned from Croatia, we found that in many small restaurants smoking was the norm at all tables. Even outside, it was impossible to get away from smoke. In the hotels in which the tour stayed, most of the DR were smoke-free or at least were clearly divided. At price of cigarettes, it surprizes me that so many people indulge--so many young kids, too. Ciao. mhm
Sep 25th, 2007, 09:37 AM
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Hi Stu... If anything Metairie was better than it was 18 months ago when I followed your suggestion to dine here. The place was filled and over-flowed into their second room.
We opted for the entree (sweetbreads and snails), plat (duck and rabbit) and dessert (creme brule and strawberry cake). Their starter remains the same - the garlic soup. Wonderful meal.
We opted for the entree (sweetbreads and snails), plat (duck and rabbit) and dessert (creme brule and strawberry cake). Their starter remains the same - the garlic soup. Wonderful meal.
Sep 25th, 2007, 09:43 AM
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In the US, smoking varies quite a bit by state. Tennessee is the hightest at about 27%, Calif (where I live) is one of the lowest around 12% (I believe). I would guess that here in the San Francisco Bay Area, smoking is in the single digits.
We spend 2 months in France most years, and the highest smoking rate we've observed (and read about in papers) is with teenagers & people in their 20s. Older folks smoke much less. If you see a group of teenagers/early 20s at a cafe, it's sometimes hard to find anyone not smoking.
Stu Dudley
We spend 2 months in France most years, and the highest smoking rate we've observed (and read about in papers) is with teenagers & people in their 20s. Older folks smoke much less. If you see a group of teenagers/early 20s at a cafe, it's sometimes hard to find anyone not smoking.
Stu Dudley
Sep 25th, 2007, 09:45 AM
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20 % of adult Americans smoke. It is impossible to avoid so called 'second hand smoke'. The CDC has said that any level of 2nd hand smoke is hazardous to health. Many carcinogens are impossible to detect by smell or sight. Quit worrying! There is nothing you can do about it. Is your restaurant near a motorway? How about an aircraft approach? Are you wearing Indian cotton?
Did you treat your drinking water? Howard Hughes eliminated all the environmental hazards he could...to what end. Relax, this is a great world.
Did you treat your drinking water? Howard Hughes eliminated all the environmental hazards he could...to what end. Relax, this is a great world.
Sep 25th, 2007, 09:48 AM
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i've read i think that 45% or so of French high-school aged kids smoke regularly vs about 20% and declining in U.S.
My son grew up in France and he and all his cohorts smoked from early on - of course at that time there was no legal age limit for smoking it seems and it was legal - changed now but little impact.
And French high-school age kids also, according to Eurostat stats i've seen, are the biggest cannabis users in the EU - about twice as high as Holland, where cannabis sales are legally tolerated. Figure that out!
My son grew up in France and he and all his cohorts smoked from early on - of course at that time there was no legal age limit for smoking it seems and it was legal - changed now but little impact.
And French high-school age kids also, according to Eurostat stats i've seen, are the biggest cannabis users in the EU - about twice as high as Holland, where cannabis sales are legally tolerated. Figure that out!
Sep 25th, 2007, 10:02 AM
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This would seem to be something the eu should get involved with.......
I know it was the most pleasant visits I ever had to pubs in London last month now that the smoking ban is in effect...you could actually taste the food and booze.....
I know it was the most pleasant visits I ever had to pubs in London last month now that the smoking ban is in effect...you could actually taste the food and booze.....
Sep 25th, 2007, 10:03 AM
#18
Don't forget I'm from Mississippi. I just about asphyxiated the last time I was on my ancestral Gulf Coast (of course, then it was wiped from the face of the earth, so maybe it was divine retribution).
Sep 25th, 2007, 10:07 AM
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I am confused--does the French ban go into effect Jan 1 or Feb 1?
If it is the latter, I plan on extending the Paris leg my vacation by a few days.
Your meals were really <b>ruined</b> by other people smoking? Was your time walking around ruined by the smell of pollution caused by traffic?
If it is the latter, I plan on extending the Paris leg my vacation by a few days.
Your meals were really <b>ruined</b> by other people smoking? Was your time walking around ruined by the smell of pollution caused by traffic?
Sep 25th, 2007, 10:15 AM
#20
The total ban goes into effect on January 1st, 2008. The partial ban for workplaces and other publics areas (except for: bars, cafés, restaurants, casinos, discothèques) went into effect on February 1st, 2007.
I have seen numerous changes in recent months, and the no smoking section often takes up 75% of the restaurants now (of course, fancy places are full of high society types that refuse to accept rules, so there is a bigger problem there). For example, an Italian place where I often go at Bercy used to have no smoking on the right and smoking on the left. Now, all smokers are exiled to the isolated upstairs section. Few people want to go there, so they just don't smoke.
I have seen numerous changes in recent months, and the no smoking section often takes up 75% of the restaurants now (of course, fancy places are full of high society types that refuse to accept rules, so there is a bigger problem there). For example, an Italian place where I often go at Bercy used to have no smoking on the right and smoking on the left. Now, all smokers are exiled to the isolated upstairs section. Few people want to go there, so they just don't smoke.
