Last Saturday night the French anti-discrimination group SOS Racisme tested admission policies at nightclubs in five cities across France. Similarly dressed couples of North African, African, and European ethnic backgrounds approached bouncers at different clubs in Paris, Lyon, Angers, Toulouse, and Bordeaux.

The outcome: Paris’s best-known club earned itself some bad publicity.

In the other four cities neither racial profiling nor discrimination was reported, but non-white couples were systematically turned away from the famous Queen on the Champs-Elysées. It’s not the first time Queen has failed an SOS Racisme pop-quiz, and the organization is collecting evidence for a lawsuit.

In addition to its unfortunate entrance policies, Queen is way over-hyped. Two equally chic clubs in the area passed the test with no problems, so if you’re hungering for a splurgy evening with the jet-set scene on the Champs, check out Les Planches (40 rue du Colisée, 8th arrondissement) or the Mandala Ray (32 rue Marbeuf, also in the 8th.)

The Mandala Ray happens to be co-owned by Johnny Depp, Sean Penn, and John Malkovich.

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To the dismay of many French doctors and school teachers, smoking is now forbidden in medical centers and schools.

We’ve already reported on this turn of events, of course, but we’d like to reflect for a minute on how things will feel in January, 2008, when the all-encompassing ban on smoking in public places goes into effect. In a city where memories of the good old days of smoking in elevators and puffing away in the delivery room are still fresh, Parisians will have to adjust to espresso sans smoke.

By this time next year Parisians and tourists alike will be faced with cafés that are just not what they used to be. Gone will be that slight eyeball burn and the uncertainty of whether the chef has added a dash of pepper or cigarette ash to les croques-monsieur.

Parisian public smoking, you’ve been stinky, rude, omnipresent, and oddly charming. You will be sincerely missed.

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photograph courtesy of the Louvre

Guards at the Louvre in Paris are preparing to strike for a raise. The museum’s guards are arguing that the stresses of looking after Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) warrant higher pay.

According to an article in today’s 20 minutes, the guards blame their discontent on a surge of visitors to the Louvre that hasn’t been met with an increase in the number of guards. Attendance at the Louvre rose from 7,500,000 in 2005 to 8,300,000 in 2006, while the number of guards on duty has remained static at 180.

“What’s really bad is the brouhaha of the crowds, most of all in the most visited halls, including those of the La Gioconda, the Venus de Milo, and Michelangelo,” explained a guard in 20 minutes. “And the worst are the ‘free Sundays.’ 65,000 visitors a day, it’s unbearable and even dangerous.”

The guards, who are also apparently sick of yelling “No flash!” all day, are seeking an additional €150 a month to balance out the increased job stress.

Who’s smiling now?

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Yesterday, France’s new smoking ban took affect, prohibiting smoking in all public places in the historically smoke-friendly country.

Recognizing that the public might not be immediately inclined to follow the rules, the government has added some muscular penalties—anyone caught smoking in a public space will be fined €68. Failure to pay this fine within 45 days will raise the fine to €180. The law makes a one year exception for restaurants and nightclubs.

Ireland was the first country in Europe to introduce strict anti-smoking laws, passing a measure in 2004. Sweden, Italy, Malta, Belgium, Norway, and Spain have all followed suit. For a look at European smoking laws in comparison, see this BBC overview.

According to a European Union public health statement reported in today’s Libération, 80% of Europeans surveyed are in favor of banning smoking in all public places. Regarding smoking in bars and cafes, however, attitudes in France at least are less clear-cut. Among French smokers, a majority (55%) are in favor of banning smoking in restaurants, while an even larger majority (63%) are opposed to prohibiting smoking in bars.

During our last trip to Paris in December, our friends expressed disbelief that the law would be effective. Wouldn’t the French simply smoke in spite of the ban? This conversation, it should be noted, occurred over a Gauloises, outside a restaurant.

“Apparently,” our friend added, “this restaurant has already imposed the ban.”

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