We’re not ones to make New Year’s resolutions but it seems that a popular choice for those who do is to stop smoking. Neither Bill nor I smoke, which has definitely saved us money (in France, a packet of cigarettes costs around 12.50€) and probably some health issues. There’s been a ban on smoking in indoor public places since 2007 yet we’ve traveled on some older trains that still had reminders of those days including ashtrays and “fumeurs” signage. Luckily while we’ve been onboard, no one has risked a 135€ fine for lighting up. Last summer the government extended the prohibition to some outdoor spaces as well, in an effort to protect children from secondhand smoke.

According to the French public health service, Santé publique France, 27% of the population here smokes. For comparison, the National Institutes of Health estimates that figure at 11.6% for Americans. We do notice the difference and when we’re with visitors from the US they often comment about seeing more people smoking.

If you’re coming over for a vacation this year, these are the outdoor places where you should no longer see any cigarettes: beaches, parks, public gardens, around schools, bus shelters and sporting events. Restaurant terraces are exempt so you are still likely to encounter that “6th” course with your meal: starter, main, cheese, dessert, coffee, cigarette.

Lots of people combine a vacation in Spain with France since flying into Barcelona can be cheaper than Paris and then it’s easy enough to take the train from there to explore both countries. Our neighbor to the south, where a packet of cigarettes might be only 5€, is pursuing a ban similar to the one in France but extending it to restaurant terraces as well.

By the way, that current price of 12.50€ for a packet of Gauloises is increasing by another euro next year. Hmm, 13.50€. We can find a very nice bottle of wine for that and I’ve even seen champagne on sale in the same range. Heck, depending upon the time of year, we can get a week’s worth of fresh fruit and vegetables at the Saturday market for not a whole lot more. Good luck with your resolutions and Happy New Year!

Photo notes: The featured photo across the top of today’s blog post is looking south across Carcassonne to the snow-capped Pyrenees Mountains with Spain just on the other side. The cartoon drawings are from the Santé publique France website, thank you.