Eurotrip and Pipe smoking

[hanymamdouh]

Dear Gentlemen and pipe smokers,
I'm very happy returning back to my best forum on Internet. I was drowning in work duties and waiting a new baby, hence my time was very limited.
As most of you may know, I'm Egyptian, and never been to Europe before. Well, I'm planning a trip to Europe for my next vacation which will start by 13th of November 2014. The trip will be as follow:
Paris 4 days

Geneva 4 days

Milan 2 days (to visit my cousin)

Venice 2 days

Vienna 5 days
I know it is not peak season in Europe, but I'm not able to change my annual vacation schedule due to work duties and laws. Anyway, I hope I get nice trip ( I like to try Europe away from tourists)
As a pipe smoker I have some wishes and questions. First wish is to meet members of pipesmagazine.com who are living in any of the cities I'm going to visit and have good talk and smoke with them. I love to develop my relationship with people sharing same interest and like to meet you face to face, explore new cultures and human traditions.
Second, are my questions. Ok, let me be a little bit organized and list them all:

1. What do you think about my trip plan? feel free and say whatever you want LOL

2. What about smoking laws in each city I'm going to visit?

3. Where are best tobacconists in each city? I hope to visit one in each city.

4. What about buying tobacco from duty free in airports (Paris and Vienna) and what is allowed quantity.
I will be very happy if you accept my invitation and meet me there in Europe, as I really want to live the European life, and have cultural discussion with pipe smokers.
Waiting for your replies.
Sincerely
Hany E. Mamdouh

 

[hanymamdouh]

Seems that no European members here ?????

 

[tuold]

hanymamdouh,
I wish I could be at some of those places to meet up for a smoke! I've never been to any of those cities, but I'm sure you will have a great time, particularly having your cousin as a guide in Milan for a couple of days should be great.

 

[drennan]

I live near Paris.
Smoking is banned inside bars and restaurant, however most establishments have an outside area where smoking is allowed.
This is a link to recommend tabacs in France from a French pipe forum, linky ,if you can't read French then google translate can help. Oh and if you don't know the Paris departments are 75, 92, 93 and 94. There is far more of a cigar culture than pipe culture over here and the cigars are well priced. Oddly even the smallest back street tabac can sometimes sell some very nice aged cubans so it can be worth looking around
I'll be going through CDG airport on Wednesday so I'll report back in a couple of weeks. I do remember it has a wonderful tobacconist for cigars but I'm not sure on pipe tobacco.

 

[hanymamdouh]

@tuold, thanks friend. I wish we could have a meeting too. Particularly, cousin will be a good guide through Milan and Venice, but she had never been to Geneva nor Vienna, So I'm still looking for more info.
@drennan. Thanks for the precious info friend. If you can arrange a trip to Paris I will be very glade to meet you. I will be waiting for your info about CDG tobacconists. Regarding to cigars, unfortunately my experience is ZERO. I think I should visit cigarchronicles.com and have some info, as Paris has good cigar shops it worth try two or three brands. BTW, i followed the link and saved all shops addresses. I speak a little french, so no need for google translator, I could manage it.

 

[smeigs]

that sounds like a hell of a trip. I will be in scotland for a few weeks in a couple months and I am curious to learn about the pipe smoking rules and regs as well. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

That sounds like a great trip, and long too. Never been to any of those places (only Finland and Estonia). Have a great trip and I'm sure with some punches into Google you'll be able to find some shops to stop into.