Tobacco: as on the beaches, smoking is now banned on ski slopes

A measure that went unnoticed this summer is going to be talked about in the resorts this winter: as on the beaches of the coast, smoking is now banned on ski slopes in France. Since the first ski areas opened at the end of November, new signs have been reminding skiers that lighting a cigarette or vaping is prohibited across a large part of the open-air zones in the mountains. Anyone caught with a cigarette faces a fixed penalty of 135 euros.

An anti-tobacco decree extended to ski resorts

The ban stems from decree no. 2025-582 of 27 June 2025, signed by the government in order to extend smoke-free spaces to open-air public places. In force since 1 July, the new rules apply throughout French ski areas: lifts, queues and pistes are now officially non-smoking zones. At the time, the measure was mainly discussed for its effect on tourist beaches in summer, while its application in the mountains went largely unnoticed until the start of this winter season.

Public health and the environment: the reasons for the ban

The authorities justify this extension with a twofold objective of public health and environmental protection. The first aim is to “denormalise” smoking around places frequented by families and young skiers, by breaking with the image of the cigarette break on the summits. The second is to tackle the massive pollution caused by cigarette butts, all too often dropped in the countryside. According to the Mountain Riders association, butts are the most common item of waste found in the mountains once the snow has melted. In 2024, more than 58,000 butts were collected on the pistes and around the resorts, an ecological disaster given that a single butt can pollute up to 500 litres of water. Preserving air quality at altitude is also among the benefits expected from the measure.

Up to €750 in fines for an offence

In practice, smoking on a ski slope becomes a fourth-class offence: the fixed fine of €135 may be increased to €375 in the event of late payment, and reach €750 if the case goes before a court. Law enforcement officers, whether municipal police or gendarmerie, will be authorised to issue penalty notices. In addition, throwing a butt into the snow already constitutes a separate offence of littering, punishable by a fine of €68. Smokers are therefore asked to move away from the areas concerned, and the authorities point to the Mois sans tabac campaign launched in November.

Mixed reactions among skiers

On the slopes, the announcement of the ban has produced divided opinions among skiers. Many say they support the measure as a way of protecting the mountains. “You still see far too many tourists tossing their butts away… We know it pollutes a fair amount, up to a cubic metre of snow”, explains one skier alert to environmental issues. Some smokers, on the other hand, admit to their frustration. “I like to smoke my little cigarette from time to time in a quiet corner, and it bothers me that we cannot smoke on the pistes”, regrets one regular winter sports visitor, used to taking a nicotine break at the top of the lifts.

Resort professionals, for their part, acknowledge that strict enforcement across an entire ski area will be difficult. “The ban is in place, but we are going to struggle to enforce it”, admits one manager, pointing out that many skiers are not yet aware of the new rule. It should be noted that smoking remains permitted on the outdoor terraces of mountain restaurants, as those spaces are not (yet) covered by the decree.

Sources: France Bleu, Cnews.fr, France 3