Francophiles Beware...

Smoking bans have made it to France and it's causing havoc for French bars and cafes, owners say. Telling the French they can't smoke while drinking their coffee is like telling a hippie to cut their hair. French cafes are supposed to be smoky! That's the allure, right? Here's a quip from the New York Times article:

Daniel Perrey, 57, owner of the Café du Crucifix in Crimolois, blamed social change, saying: “Sadly, it is the end to a way of life. The culture is changing, and we feel it.”

People are drinking less, smoking less and spending less, and even those who drink are newly wary of the local police, who now hover near the bar, especially at night, to test the sobriety of drivers. President Nicolas Sarkozy has asked the police to crack down on drunken drivers.

Granted I have never been to France. But my idea of Paris includes little cafes where women French inhale their cigarettes through their bright red lipstick covered lips while wearing a beret and drinking a latte. It seems, though, that the culture is changing and so too will my romantic perception of the entire country.