Beaches, gardens, outside schools: France bans smoking in more public spaces

Smoking has been banned on all public beaches, gardens and in several additional public places in France from Sunday, June 29, following a governmental decree.

The ban, which was enacted in the Journal officiel on June 28, affects public beaches, gardens, sports centres and grounds, bus shelters, and near schools. 

People smoking in these areas can now be fined up to €135.

It had been announced on May 29 by Health Minister Catherine Vautrin in an interview with media outlet Ouest-France (paywall article). 

The ban also applies to students smoking outside school gates.

“Where there are children, tobacco must disappear,” Ms Vautrin said, adding that the right to smoke “ends where children's right to breathe clean air begins.”

Nicotine limits set for 2026

The ban does not apply to e-cigarettes such as rechargeable vapes (disposable vapes are now banned in France), or on terraces such as beach cafés or bars. 

This is despite close to 70% of French people backing a ban on smoking on terraces, according to a recent survey. 

In some local municipalities, smoking is already banned in these locations – particularly on beaches. 

This is the case, for example, in Sables-d’Olonne (Vendée) where authorities banned smoking on the beach during the tourist season (April - September) two years ago . 

A future complete ban on under-18s smoking is being considered - it is currently illegal to sell tobacco to underage people. 

Ms Vautrin is also looking at lowering the maximum authorised amount of nicotine in tobacco products, as well as limiting the number of ‘flavours’, particularly of vapes (that can come with dozens of variations). 

She is waiting on “scientific and technical advice to finalise the details,” for these limitations, but they are expected to come into force in the first half of 2026. 

Santé publique France estimates that some 75,000 people a year in France die of tobacco-related causes.