Bon Voyage Boys, Be Back in December
- Thread starter bryanf
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Gauloises is not even made in France anymore. Made in Spain now. I remember the first time I went to France and bought some to take to a party. Everyone was telling me it was an old man smoke. I used to love it. My favorite ryo is Camel.
I will take your advise and stay away from the Clan!
I will take your advise and stay away from the Clan!
Enjoy France. Being with family is far better than the touristy nonsense. There has got to be a few places off the beaten path to find a relaxing smoke. I have traveled half my life domestically in the US and it does become a challenge to enjoy your pipe and be social concurrently but it can be done. Best of luck to you.
Have a safe trip, Bryan
My wife has always wanted to go to Paris, her dream. We haven't been able to do it yet, her work is always very pressing...
My imagination is that one can still smoke at an outdoor cafe, if the weather permits. Is that true? Hopefully, the weather will allow that to happen.
Be safe, and enjoy your family.
Happy holidays
My wife has always wanted to go to Paris, her dream. We haven't been able to do it yet, her work is always very pressing...
My imagination is that one can still smoke at an outdoor cafe, if the weather permits. Is that true? Hopefully, the weather will allow that to happen.
Be safe, and enjoy your family.
Happy holidays
Bryan, It must be nice to enjoy the "local" culture instead of the typical tourist rounds. Sneak away when you can and smoke a bowl with the local gents. Sharing a bowl can dispel many stereo types. Have a safe trip and we look forward to some good stories.
Well, I'm back and had a great trip. Lots of wine, lots of champagne, beer, and of course good food. Mostly spent time with family and friends. I will post some pictures tomorrow if I can.
I managed to smoke 5 or 6 bowls a day which is less than normal, but was enough to keep me happy. I saw several pipers as I walked around Paris. Even one guy riding around on a kid's push scooter while smoking a pipe. I guess it's a new form of Lunting. Everyone I saw smoking smoked a billiard of small to medium size, and the pipes looked well loved.
I also managed to get to La Civette in Paris, and was very lucky that they were having a pipe exposition! There were probably at least a thousand pipes. I didn't buy any but I did buy 4 types of native French pipe tobacco. One was called Semois, but I'm not sure it is real Semois because it's made by Butz Choquin. I smoked it in a cafe and it was very strong. A long ribbon cut, with an herbally floral taste. Reminded me a lot of Dark Bird's Eye. Too strong tosmoke all day, but an interesting flavor. I will have to smoke more before deciding if I like it, but not an immediate love at first bowl. I also purchased and smoked some Caporal Export, which is owned by Sutliff, but I believe only sold and made in France. This was also very strong, but I liked it much more. Also a long ribbon cut. The flavor is rich and strong, and reminds me of Kentucky, even though it is supposedly a virginia. The other two I purchased were Bergerac, which is the name of the area where most tobacco is grown in France, and some St. Claude. I suspect they will taste aimilar to the Caporal, but I haven't tried yet.
At La Civette, they also carried just about every brand of SG, and many, many tins of it, plus they had many pouches of stuff i've never heard of. Probably German and Dutch OTC's. At just about any Tabac, one can find Amphora Red, Troost, and Erinmore Mixture. Prices are around 7 euros for Caporal to 10-15 euros for higher end pipe tobacco. Not too bad, and less expensive than RYO cigarettes. I did smoke 2 cigarettes on the last night, and they gave me a buzz. I much prefer my pipe!
Good to be home, smoking a bowl of 3P and catching up on the forum. Missed you guys!
I managed to smoke 5 or 6 bowls a day which is less than normal, but was enough to keep me happy. I saw several pipers as I walked around Paris. Even one guy riding around on a kid's push scooter while smoking a pipe. I guess it's a new form of Lunting. Everyone I saw smoking smoked a billiard of small to medium size, and the pipes looked well loved.
I also managed to get to La Civette in Paris, and was very lucky that they were having a pipe exposition! There were probably at least a thousand pipes. I didn't buy any but I did buy 4 types of native French pipe tobacco. One was called Semois, but I'm not sure it is real Semois because it's made by Butz Choquin. I smoked it in a cafe and it was very strong. A long ribbon cut, with an herbally floral taste. Reminded me a lot of Dark Bird's Eye. Too strong tosmoke all day, but an interesting flavor. I will have to smoke more before deciding if I like it, but not an immediate love at first bowl. I also purchased and smoked some Caporal Export, which is owned by Sutliff, but I believe only sold and made in France. This was also very strong, but I liked it much more. Also a long ribbon cut. The flavor is rich and strong, and reminds me of Kentucky, even though it is supposedly a virginia. The other two I purchased were Bergerac, which is the name of the area where most tobacco is grown in France, and some St. Claude. I suspect they will taste aimilar to the Caporal, but I haven't tried yet.
At La Civette, they also carried just about every brand of SG, and many, many tins of it, plus they had many pouches of stuff i've never heard of. Probably German and Dutch OTC's. At just about any Tabac, one can find Amphora Red, Troost, and Erinmore Mixture. Prices are around 7 euros for Caporal to 10-15 euros for higher end pipe tobacco. Not too bad, and less expensive than RYO cigarettes. I did smoke 2 cigarettes on the last night, and they gave me a buzz. I much prefer my pipe!
Good to be home, smoking a bowl of 3P and catching up on the forum. Missed you guys!
Welcome home. Yes, I've noticed that in France, Italy and Portugal, you run into a lot of pipe smokers. Certainly a lot more than you run into here in North America. And yes, you see a lot of small straight billiards being clenched over there. In general, a much more relaxed take towards the public consumption of tobacco.
Welcome back Bryan and glad to hear you had a great time. My hotel was very close to La Civette and I used to walk to it often to pick up a cigar or 2. I bought my Davidoff pipe lighter there and still use it when I get dressed up. That store is very cool.
I hope you drank lots of pink Champagne while you were there.
I hope you drank lots of pink Champagne while you were there.
Thanks everyone. La Civette is definitely worth checking out.
I didn't drink any pink champagne, but had a little purple champagne! Kir- Chambord and Champagne. Tasty before a meal.
The thing about smoking a pipe in France is no one even gives you a second glance. Fellow pipe smokers don't even notice. It's nice, actually, that it's just so normal.
I finally tried all the different tobacco's, and of all the tobacco's I bought, the St. Claude is the best. A decent burley/Virginia blend. The Bergerac was the finest cut shag I've ever seen. All the tobacco's taste like a mix between 5-brothers and Dark Bull's eye, but to be honest, not as good as either. They all taste very, very similar, but the St. Claude is the mildest, which is still really strong. All of them give me heartburn, and I don't even get that from Irish Flake.
I have to say, you guys that haven't smoked French pipe tobacco really aren't missing much. I'll take my flakes any day... I think the French pipe tobacco is based on the concept of getting as strong as possible a nicotine fix in as short a time as possible. While that's fine sometimes, I smoke for leisure and relaxation, and none of the 4 blends really do that for me.
I didn't drink any pink champagne, but had a little purple champagne! Kir- Chambord and Champagne. Tasty before a meal.
The thing about smoking a pipe in France is no one even gives you a second glance. Fellow pipe smokers don't even notice. It's nice, actually, that it's just so normal.
I finally tried all the different tobacco's, and of all the tobacco's I bought, the St. Claude is the best. A decent burley/Virginia blend. The Bergerac was the finest cut shag I've ever seen. All the tobacco's taste like a mix between 5-brothers and Dark Bull's eye, but to be honest, not as good as either. They all taste very, very similar, but the St. Claude is the mildest, which is still really strong. All of them give me heartburn, and I don't even get that from Irish Flake.
I have to say, you guys that haven't smoked French pipe tobacco really aren't missing much. I'll take my flakes any day... I think the French pipe tobacco is based on the concept of getting as strong as possible a nicotine fix in as short a time as possible. While that's fine sometimes, I smoke for leisure and relaxation, and none of the 4 blends really do that for me.
Interesting. Kinda like their unfiltered Gauloises cigarettes. Man, those were strong. Shame about the lack of decent local pipe tobacco, especially in a place where you can smoke so freely.
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