A la Pipe du Nord

[jaingorenard]

I'm currently on holiday in France, and couldn't stay in Paris without visiting A la Pipe du Nord. This is a fantastic shop with lots of great estates, as well as many new pipes (including all the usuals, as well as factory and handmade French pipes). Pictured is my new Bruno Nuttens pipe, along with some paté made by my friend's grandad. I also had to satisfy my nostalgia by getting the cigarettes I always used to get in France, although sadly they no longer come in the soft packet they used to (I used to love feeling like a film star tapping cigarettes out of the pack).

 

[BingBong]

I'm currently on holiday in France, and couldn't stay in Paris without visiting A la Pipe du Nord. This is a fantastic shop with lots of great estates, as well as many new pipes (including all the usuals, as well as factory and handmade French pipes). Pictured is my new Bruno Nuttens pipe, along with some paté made by my friend's grandad. I also had to satisfy my nostalgia by getting the cigarettes I always used to get in France, although sadly they no longer come in the soft packet they used to (I used to love feeling like a film star tapping cigarettes out of the pack).View attachment 316594View attachment 316595View attachment 316596

Nice - although in the UK, Gitanes always came in a flat 10x2 pack with nice artwork; the soft packs were Disque Bleu and Gauloise.

 

[jaingorenard]

Nice - although in the UK, Gitanes always came in a flat 10x2 pack with nice artwork; the soft packs were Disque Bleu and Gauloise.

Maybe I am thinking of Gauloise, I used to smoke both. I used to love the Gitanes artwork, sadly now only on the odd ashtray!

 

[scloyd]

I visited in 2018. Nice shop. I purchased these three numbered (xxx/150) A la Pipe du Nord anniversary pipes. One for me and the other two for my son and son-in-law.

 

[jaingorenard]

I visited in 2018. Nice shop. I purchased these three numbered (xxx/150) A la Pipe du Nord anniversary pipes. One for me and the other two for my son and son-in-law.
View attachment 316768

Was he selling tobacco back then? He doesn't now. I've been looking for Caporal but all the Tabacs just say 'oh, that's hard to find'.

 

[jaingorenard]

I visited in 2018. Nice shop. I purchased these three numbered (xxx/150) A la Pipe du Nord anniversary pipes. One for me and the other two for my son and son-in-law.
View attachment 316768

Were these made by Nuttens? Gorgeous pipes, and a lovely reason to get three!

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I used to smoke for years those wonderful filterless french made cigarettes in 80-90ies, Bastos, Gitanes Mais (wides with yellow corn paper)and regular and most of all Gauloises non filtre , unfortunately today these all are a mere shadow of what they were back then

 

[jaingorenard]

I used to smoke for years those wonderful filterless french made cigarettes in 80-90ies, Bastos, Gitanes Mais (wides with yellow corn paper)and regular and most of all Gauloises non filtre , unfortunately today these all are a mere shadow of what they were back then

That's very true. I think the Gitanes have changed since I was last in France, pre-Covid. Still a strong cigarette though!

 

[BingBong]

Was he selling tobacco back then? He doesn't now. I've been looking for Caporal but all the Tabacs just

say 'oh, that's hard to find'.

Shocking that Caporal is now rare - I thought it rough as old guts back in the day, but it was the common man's RYO in France.

Everything seems to be "decaf" in cigarette world nowadays, all the nic punch gone missing.

 

[kcghost]

Well it seems that tobacco has gone to hell in France. Seems like the only thing do is look for place serving lunch.

 

[Sigmund]

The only vendor/distributor for tobacco in France is the government. They name the price and what will be sold. I don’t think they care or know much about pipe smokers. Mail order is also not legal. Its a state monopoly.

 

[jaingorenard]

Success finding Caporal though!

 

[scloyd]

Were these made by Nuttens? Gorgeous pipes, and a lovely reason to get three!

No, I was told by the woman/shop owner that they were made in shop by the previous shop owner. I don't remember his name.

The following pic is the woman who was the shop owner in 2018. A really nice woman.


Here's a close up of the pipe I kept for myself.

 

[scloyd]

Was he selling tobacco back then? He doesn't now. I've been looking for Caporal but all the Tabacs just say 'oh, that's hard to find'.

No, they weren't selling any tobacco back then, but you could go upstairs and smoke your own up in the lounge.