France will prohibit smoking in all parks, gardens, beaches, school zones, bus stops, and near sports facilities from 1 July, Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin announced, according to Politico.
The measure aims to create healthier environments, particularly for children. “Where there are children, tobacco must disappear,” Vautrin stated in an interview with Ouest-France on Thursday, firmly declaring that the freedom to smoke “ends where children’s right to breathe fresh air begins.”
Individuals caught smoking in these newly designated tobacco-free zones will face a fine of €135. Notably, smoking will still be permitted on café terraces, and the use of e-cigarettes is exempt from this specific ban.
While some municipalities have already implemented local restrictions, these new rules will apply uniformly across the entire country from the start of next month. The initiative forms a key component of the French government’s National Tobacco Control Programme 2023-2027.
Minister Vautrin indicated that further steps are under consideration, though no immediate decisions have been taken. Regarding the potential prohibition of cigarette sales to individuals under 18, she remarked:
[I am] not ruling anything out for the future.
When questioned about possible increases in tobacco taxes, Vautrin confirmed that “no new increases are planned for now.”
Looking ahead to regulations on e-cigarettes, the minister outlined plans to reduce both the authorised nicotine levels and the number of permitted flavours by the end of the first half of 2026. Vautrin emphasised the need for careful planning, stating that for such measures she requires “scientific and technical opinions to establish the details.”
