Story by Linda DonahueIt’s been nearly two years since the smoke cleared in Paris. In February 2008, the decree banning smoking in every corner of “entertainment and conviviality” in France took effect.
Most of the civilized world felt certain that Parisians would take to the streets to protest the smoking ban. Cigarette is a French word, after all, and Parisians did love their cigarettes. Smoking was seen by many as a sign of sophistication and intelligence. Lighting up together over un crème or a bottle of wine was a part of the social fabric of the city. So why wouldn’t Parisians—people who are ready to protest at the drop of a rumor—not take to the streets?
Surprisingly, the ban took effect quietly. Parisians greeted the change with a typical Gallic shrug. In a country where more than 20 percent of the population—over 12 million people—were smokers, that’s fairly significant.
In the nearly two years since, Parisians have managed to survive the ban. Dedicated smokers can still light up at the sidewalk tables of their favorite café, taking advantage of heat lamps in winter to maintain their smoke-to-coffee ratio. Of course, it wouldn’t be Paris if this didn’t give way to a new complication.
Paris Police are enforcing a “law of silence” on the city, complying with anti-noise ordinances that are effectively shutting down some of the city’s most popular nightclubs. The problem isn’t the loud music inside the clubs. Club owners are blaming the smoking ban. With club-goers spilling out onto sidewalks and other outdoor spaces to light up, the party moves outside.
Complaints by neighbors of these establishments have resulted in fines against the clubs and, in several cases, the revoking of licenses. Le Batofar, a popular floating club moored on the Seine, had its license taken away, while La Locomotive, the famed nightspot in PIgalle where the Beatles and Rolling Stones once played, went bankrupt.
Such is the dichotomy of life in a modern city with a rich heritage. While the smoking ban is seen as saving lives, there are those who lament that it’s killing the once vibrant nightlife of Paris.
As someone who used to live in France and who now visits Paris 1-2 times a year, I too have been surprised and the relative quiet of the acceptance, but I certainly do enjoy the ban as I sit in brasseries and restaurants and even a lot of terraces, it is really pleasant.