Paris: ‘A Delicate Pale Blue’ No Longer?

Plenty of cities have imposed smoking bans in bars and restaurants by now, but it’s rare that they chip away at a world-renowned image in the process. In Paris, on the other hand, where the city’s identity seems more intimately connected with smoking, the ban that came into force Jan. 1 has the potential to alter more than just the air quality.

So I was interested to read Andrew Martin’s excellent story in The Guardian about his first smoke-free visit to the City of Lights.

Martin writes:

I always imagine Paris as a delicate pale blue: the colour of the world inhabited by Alain Delon in the thriller Le Samourai; the colour of Gaulois and Gitanes. The late Art Buchwald, Paris correspondent of the Washington Post, called it “The City of Lighters” and, contemplating a smoking ban, he wrote: “Can you imagine the hookers of Pigalle standing in doorways and biting their nails?”

No, neither can I.

 

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