Headlines
France to ban smoking at beaches, parks and outside schools to protect children
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 30, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Quick Summary
France bans smoking in public areas like beaches and parks from July to protect children, exempting cafe terraces.
France Implements Smoking Ban at Beaches, Parks, and Schools
PARIS (Reuters) -France will ban smoking on beaches, in parks, outside schools and in other locations to protect children, France's health and families minister said.
The ban will come into effect in July, Catherine Vautrin said in an interview with the Ouest France newspaper late on Thursday. It will exempt cafe terraces and will not apply to electronic cigarettes.
"Where there are children, tobacco must disappear," Vautrin said. "From July 1, beaches, public parks and gardens, school areas, bus shelters, and sports facilities will be smoke-free throughout France. Smoking will therefore be prohibited there, to protect our children."
Vautrin said smoking kills around 200 people every day in France.
Smoking in France is at historic lows, according to a report published this month by the French Observatory for Drugs and Addictive Trends. It found that just under a quarter of people aged 18-75 smoked daily, the lowest since it began keeping records in the late 1990s.
The UK announced a similar smoking ban last year.
(Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
Key Takeaways
- •France bans smoking in public areas to protect children.
- •Ban effective from July, exempting cafe terraces.
- •Smoking kills around 200 people daily in France.
- •Smoking rates in France at historic lows.
- •UK implemented a similar ban last year.
Frequently Asked Questions about France to ban smoking at beaches, parks and outside schools to protect children
1What locations will the smoking ban apply to?
The smoking ban will apply to beaches, public parks and gardens, school areas, bus shelters, and sports facilities throughout France.
2When will the smoking ban take effect?
The smoking ban will come into effect on July 1.
3What exemptions are included in the smoking ban?
The ban will exempt cafe terraces and will not apply to electronic cigarettes.
4How many people die from smoking in France daily?
Smoking kills around 200 people every day in France.
5What is the current smoking rate in France?
According to a report, smoking in France is at historic lows, with just under a quarter of people aged 18-75 smoking.
