Do you think the French will just ignore it?

[Loosehead]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1 3565773,00.html
They are much more of a heavy smoking culture than us, how do you think they'll get on with the ban?

[Booldawg]

They'll probably block all ports leaving in and out of Britain until its lifted.

[jake-the-peg]

I remember everybody saying exactly that about Ireland.

It's been pretty well enforced over there - I seem to recall the minister for health picking up a fine!

I'm just waiting for Ken Clarke to pick up a fine after July!

[flip-flop]

Oh most definitely it will be ignored. Thankfully the French have the spirit not to follow sheep-like every regulation that comes from the EU.

An example - I love cheese, all types, but I particularly like Brie, Camembaert, Vacherin and the like, and when I eat it in France it is served properly, i.e, room temperature, pungent and running off the plate. This is how it is meant to be eaten.

When I order it here in a restuarant it is pulled straight from the fridge and is like eating a housebrick, and about as tasty.

So, whilst I think the French are a bit of an odd bunch, I applaud them for picking and choosing which EU rules and regs they choose to follow (if a cafe owner is happy for his customers to smoke, if his employees are happy for the customers to smoke, if the customers want to smoke, then WTF does it have to do with some chinless twit in the EU).

I am a non-smoker.

[flip-flop]

I should add that when I've asked for the cheese to pulled out of the fridge at the start of meal over here so that it is ready for the end of the meal I've been told they aren't allowed because of the EU. How true this is I don't know.

[Loosehead]

Good point Jake but in Ireland the fine for the landlord is 5000 Euros's and for the smoker 2000. In France it's 150 and 75 respectively so I think it will probably be routinely ignored.

[Whickerman]

At this stage here in Ireland it's just accepted, and has got to the point that people see outside as the place to go to smoke. Even visitors to your home will do so now.

[prattler]

The ban has also been in place in Scotland for almost a year.You get used to it , what other choice do you have?

[jake-the-peg]

I might have known you'd be blaming the EU Flip -Flop. I

n fact they're somewhat behind the game in this and are trying to put together legislation to bring all of the member states individual anti-smoking legislation together.

Of course the great thing for places like restaurants is that EU legislation is a brilliant thing to blame.

You get a piece of legislation saying they have to have suitable levels of care or something like that - and before you know it proprieters are refusing to serve unpasturised cheeses and blaming EU legislation!

Then we look abroard and say oh they're not doing it!

I must admit the Irish fines are really draconian but I don't think it's the fine but whether people think they'll be caught

See driving with mobile phones

[webbo3]

they are ,.......todays daily mail had a small piece,on page 40,........could'nt fond a link on the mails website .

the french carried on regardlessof the tobacco ban which came into force today.

but the threat of a �48 fine had little effect,and gauloises,and gitanes where being openly smoked almost everywhere.

"smoking is part of our culture"said jean burens as he lit up at republique metro station in central paris.

natalie minos a 21yr old secretary continued to smoke as she entered her office in the marais area .......she said
"the french are very good at ignoring laws they dont believe in".

pretty obvious really.........my parents have been in france for 15 yrs and have told me allsorts about the locals.

[idalovett]

The French will ignore it. There will still be an accordian player leaning against a lampost with a Gauloise hanging out of the corner of his mouth because he epitomises France. Vive la France!