France has announced a ban on smoking in several public open-air spaces, including beaches, from 1 July 2025, which is sure to come as welcome news for tourists to the French Riviera who are always shocked by the flagrant smoking in public places.
The sweeping new measure is of course not aimed at pleasing tourists, but at protecting public health, especially that of children.
“Where there are children, tobacco must disappear,” French Health Minister Catherine Vautrin said in an interview with Ouest-France on Thursday.
The new rules – which will target areas like beaches, parks and anywhere in the vicinity of schools – are part of a broader national mission to cut tobacco use and limit children’s exposure to second-hand smoke.
Whilst the French pride themselves on freedom, the minister stressed that the right to smoke “ends where children’s right to breathe clean air begins”.
Anyone caught violating the rules after 1 July will be fined 135 euros in what is being classified as a Class 4 Offence.
Most French people on social media reacted positively, welcoming the ban, and expressing relief that they’ll no longer have to lie on cigarette butts on the beach.
However there were a couple of die-hard smoking fans who were aghast. One disgruntled social media user predicted: “Beaches are going to be deserted this summer!!!! And the stores will close because nobody will be therej. BRAVO!!!! Let’s spend our vacation abroad where there is more freedom!!!”
Her comment elicited at least 30 responses from people pointing out how France has been lagging behind other countries, “even Spain” where smoking is “viewed badly” on terraces, not to mention Australia where smoking in public spaces has been banned for at least 15 years. Over 20 years ago, Los Angeles was the first to ban smoking on a public beach, followed by Sydney’s Manly Beach in 2004.
In France, the ban is not expected to include café terraces, nor does it appear to target e-cigarettes.
Some commenters pointed out how much less smoking there is in neighbouring European countries because of stricter laws, whilst one said “I don’t smoke, but at the beach I’m more bothered by loud, badly behaved children than by smokers. Are we going to ban kids too?”
The details of the new law are still being ironed out.
Our Charity of the Month, Alliance Against Tobacco was at the Cannes Film Festival recently with its campaign against tobacco being seen on screen in films and TV shows. According to the alliance, seeing characters light up on screen doubles your chances of picking up a cigarette yourself.
