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jediofthecode

Lurker
Jan 4, 2023
35
62
France
Hey, I live in France, more precisely in the Lyon area, and have been looking for pipe tobacco at various local stores and keep seeing a few of the same blends around, and some different ones depending on the stores. Is anyone familiar with the typical brands available here like; Clan Original, 7 seas(i think that's what it was), caporal, saforetti, golden blend's etc. Which of the typical french brands are decent and which are absolute crap ? At 15€ a packet I don't want to blow a ton of money finding out which is absolute bunk.
 
There used to be a French pipe forum. I can't find it now, but I used to be a member there to keep up on my
français... I can't say for certain how many French pipe smokers we have here. However, I do not recommend Clan. 7 Seas is a good (but goopy) aromatic, if you like aros. It is similar to Captain Black.
I would love to try Caporal and Saforetti. It sounds like you have access to some of the MacBaren OTC with 7 Seas and Golden Blend. If you like vanilla aromatics, those would be good choices.

Bienvenu sur le forum puffy
 
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jediofthecode

Lurker
Jan 4, 2023
35
62
France
Ah well it seems like my best option is a trip up to geneva on a saturday. I just hate to do it with the cost of tolls + petrol, its a bit steep just for some tobacco.

I did try the Golden Blend's No 1 today which is apparently vanilla, i found it wasn't horrible but it also didn't really taste like anything other than a dark tobacco blend.

Also I think the french pipe forum is alanoblebouffarde ?
 

jediofthecode

Lurker
Jan 4, 2023
35
62
France
Crap, it's blocked on the public server here. That may be why I haven't been there in a few years.
You can always order from www.smokingpipes.eu
If their European counterpart is half as nice and well run as the US version, it will always be a pleasure doing business with them.
Thanks for the info. Fortunately finding a good pipe in france isn't an issue and it looks like the eu branch of smokingpipes doesn't sell tobacco. Due to EU regulations its illegal to sell tobacco cross border online, so my only bed is basically to pay out the ass for good stuff locally, buy mediocre stuff locally, or drive up to switzerland for a better selection and prices.

That's why I was hoping to find some info on the tobacco available to me locally without buying every brand and trying it lol.
 
Thanks for the info. Fortunately finding a good pipe in france isn't an issue and it looks like the eu branch of smokingpipes doesn't sell tobacco. Due to EU regulations its illegal to sell tobacco cross border online, so my only bed is basically to pay out the ass for good stuff locally, buy mediocre stuff locally, or drive up to switzerland for a better selection and prices.

That's why I was hoping to find some info on the tobacco available to me locally without buying every brand and trying it lol.
Crap, sorry to hear that.
 

vosBghos

Lifer
May 7, 2022
1,521
3,360
Idaho
I am an avid fan of Gauloises cigarettes and Caporal is supposed to be the definitive French tobacco, they call it the soldier's tobacco on account it was what was available and distributed to the soldiers and partisans during the wars. It holds a place in history much like American Velvet tobacco during wartime or Lucky Strike American cigarettes. I would definitely pick up a pouch and give it a try it's bold it's black, wish I could get it and Gauloises here, probably the first things I'll pick up next time I'm over the pond.
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Haven't smoked any of the brands mentioned in the original post. From comments on Forums, I'd say Clan tends toward harsh, but a few like it. 7 Seas seems to have a following. A pipe shop or fellow pipe smokers might be willing to let you sample bowls of blends sold there to give you an idea of what's available.

Though you may not be able to buy blends online, you can research their strength, cut, room note, constituent tobaccos, etc. at various tobacco sites which might give you help in choosing among what is available there. SP is a sponsor here and has good specs on its tobacco pages.

If you like burley, you might enjoy the Belgium burley variant sold under the Semois brand in thick or medium cut; they also make a shag cut blend that some like (I find it rather mild and fast burning), if any of these are available in France.
 

karam

Lifer
Feb 2, 2019
2,341
9,012
Basel, Switzerland
Thanks for the info. Fortunately finding a good pipe in france isn't an issue and it looks like the eu branch of smokingpipes doesn't sell tobacco. Due to EU regulations its illegal to sell tobacco cross border online, so my only bed is basically to pay out the ass for good stuff locally, buy mediocre stuff locally, or drive up to switzerland for a better selection and prices.

That's why I was hoping to find some info on the tobacco available to me locally without buying every brand and trying it lol.
Did you try estervals from Germany? I know they used to send cross border. I live in Switzerland where we have the great Synjeco but don't know anything about Geneve pipe shops. I could tell you about great pipe shops in Basel, Zurich and Konstanz but that's no good as it's on the other side of the country!
 

jediofthecode

Lurker
Jan 4, 2023
35
62
France
Haven't smoked any of the brands mentioned in the original post. From comments on Forums, I'd say Clan tends toward harsh, but a few like it. 7 Seas seems to have a following. A pipe shop or fellow pipe smokers might be willing to let you sample bowls of blends sold there to give you an idea of what's available..
Unfortunately that is very illegal here, you can’t even have a tobacco shop with house blends here.

Did you try estervals from Germany? I know they used to send cross border. I live in Switzerland where we have the great Synjeco but don't know anything about Geneve pipe shops. I could tell you about great pipe shops in Basel, Zurich and Konstanz but that's no good as it's on the other side of the country!
Yes actually, yesterday I called them and he said they would ship to France so I placed an order 10 mins later lol. Hopefully it will actually make it to me.
 
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simong

Lifer
Oct 13, 2015
2,532
15,277
UK
‘Le Pipe Gazette’ is an excellent French forum, which will be helpful to you, if you don’t already know about it.

Caporal is now made in Denmark. You might like it but I found it to be a rather boring smoke. Plenty of Belgian shags about, which you may prefer.
 

Davy

Can't Leave
Nov 22, 2022
324
880
There used to be a French pipe forum. I can't find it now, but I used to be a member there to keep up on my
français... I can't say for certain how many French pipe smokers we have here. However, I do not recommend Clan. 7 Seas is a good (but goopy) aromatic, if you like aros. It is similar to Captain Black.
I would love to try Caporal and Saforetti. It sounds like you have access to some of the MacBaren OTC with 7 Seas and Golden Blend. If you like vanilla aromatics, those would be good choices.

Bienvenu sur le forum puffy
These two are the most active at the moment.


 
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Davy

Can't Leave
Nov 22, 2022
324
880
Hey, I live in France, more precisely in the Lyon area, and have been looking for pipe tobacco at various local stores and keep seeing a few of the same blends around, and some different ones depending on the stores. Is anyone familiar with the typical brands available here like; Clan Original, 7 seas(i think that's what it was), caporal, saforetti, golden blend's etc. Which of the typical french brands are decent and which are absolute crap ? At 15€ a packet I don't want to blow a ton of money finding out which is absolute bunk.
It's scaferlati, mate. It refers to the cut.
I have no idea if they are available in Lyon, but I suggest you try Scaferlati Caporal Red, then the Blue. Caporal Export is also good. They contain Burleys tobaccos with some Virginias and do not have any casing or toppings. They taste like tobacco, earthy and spicy.
If Saint - Claude is available, it has a light honey topping. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same as the other Scaferlati.
These will be much better for you than Clan, Kentucky Bird, Brigg and the like.
 

Davy

Can't Leave
Nov 22, 2022
324
880
‘Le Pipe Gazette’ is an excellent French forum, which will be helpful to you, if you don’t already know about it.

Caporal is now made in Denmark. You might like it but I found it to be a rather boring smoke. Plenty of Belgian shags about, which you may prefer.
It's a Blog, not a forum. ;)
Mac Baren, indeed, manufactures the Scaferlati since they acquired the brands in 2016. You should try Caporal Bleu, it is much better than all the others, I find.
 
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