The owner of the tiny Entre les Vignes wine bar near Gare de Lyon is standing behind his zinc counter, staring mournfully at the "Non Fumeur" sticker on his window.
On 2 January, the unthinkable happened in France: it finally became illegal to smoke in restaurants, cafes and bars. Just hours into the ban last Wednesday, Parisians were in mourning, not so much for cigarettes themselves (although the very word is French) but for a way of life and liberte wreathed in cigarette smoke and celebrated every morning with a coffee and a newspaper in every cafe in the land.
But they are bearing up. Le Figaro recently ran iconic images of Che Guevara, Jacques Brel and Brigitte Bardot clutching yellow buttercups instead of their usual fags. Even Monsieur le Proprietaire says his regulars are adjusting well. "My clientele are all right," he sniffs, "but for me, it is terrible. I have to go out the back to smoke, like a schoolboy."
It was then I noticed the tiny waft of smoke curling up from behind his cash register. "You see nothing," he says.
Bon chance, Paris.
Entre les Vignes, 27 Boulevard Diderot, Paris 12, tel: 00 33 1 43 43 62 84. No smoking
Could be the end of the road for Sarko!
Posted by: john problem | Sunday, 06 January 2008 at 08:31 AM
My previous post on this topic, which was critical of both its content and of TD was deleted. Given that this is a food blog the words 'heat' and 'kitchen' come to mind.
Posted by: Clifford | Wednesday, 09 January 2008 at 07:22 AM