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Sep 14, 2024
1
1
Portland, Oregon, USA
I am planning a trip. I am wondering if y'all have any advice for pipe smoking in London, Paris and, Amsterdam. Maybe there are shops to visit, tobaccos to buy and, places to smoke? I don't smoke aromatics. I love HH Bold Kentucky and Virginias especially with perique.
 
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Scottmi

Lifer
Oct 15, 2022
4,345
64,266
Orcas, WA
1. bring your own tobacco. hard to find and expensive over there.
2. London...probably not find anywhere to smoke?
3. Paris is great! Can smoke at any cafe/bistro at outside tables, and many at some? inside tables.
4. Amsterdam... sorry no help, been almost 38 years since last there. 🤯
 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
12,506
19,178
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
The hotel I stay at in London has an outside smoking area which is serviced by the bar. Can be chilly and wet, although a large umbrella is often set out. So, yes there are places where smoking is allowed in London. The concierge even quietly advised I could smoke at an open window in the room if I did so discreetly. 1200.00 a night for a double last time I stayed. So, allowances are made.

Corrected the room cost. Hope no one had a heart attack.
 
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Brad H

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 17, 2024
623
4,651
3pipes and a min of 2 ounces of each blend is usually my mins
 

jaingorenard

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 11, 2022
848
3,780
Norwich, UK
You can smoke outside in most places in London, and there are a few cigars lounges down St James Street where you can smoke inside (although only what you buy at the location).

J J Fox is always worth a visit, though the smoking lounge gets very busy. Look out for any Germain's blends (ask what they have, but I really like the Royal Cavendish Virginia blends, or Rich Dark Flake, Brown Flake - for an interesting old-fashioned tobacco try Plum Cake or Uncle Tom's), or Gawith and Hogarth/Samuel Gawith. If you like Virginias and VaPers, try Louisiana Flake, Full Virginia Flake, St James Flake.

There's a lovely little tobacconist in Covent Garden called Segar and Snuff who have a fantastic selection of snuff. They have some pipes and tobaccos as well.

A la Pipe du Nord in Paris has a fantastic selection of pipes, but no tobacco. In France you can only buy tobacco from Tabacs. Look out for Caporal, it's a very distinctive tobacco unlike most other blends. It's a fairly rustic tobacco lightly topped with tonquin. You can smoke outside almost anywhere, and some bars still allow smoking inside.

No idea about Amsterdam in particular, but in general I've found the Netherlands to be pretty accommodating to smokers. Some bars still have smoking rooms, and you will probably find a number of tobacconists (though they won't be cheap).
 

DanWil84

Lifer
Mar 8, 2021
1,742
13,275
The Netherlands (Europe)
I am planning a trip. I am wondering if y'all have any advice for pipe smoking in London, Paris and, Amsterdam. Maybe there are shops to visit, tobaccos to buy and, places to smoke? I don't smoke aromatics. I love HH Bold Kentucky and Virginias especially with perique.
Shops in Amsterdam, next to shops specialized in tobacco additives (*ahem ahem*); there are some shops like PCG Hajenius on Rokin, Cigaragua (might now have the name Van Dalen) on Van Baerlenstraat and maybe some I forget. Hajenius will have a selection of pipe tobacco. Expect to pay a hefty price, tobacco is tobacco overhere, 25 euros for 50 grams is the standard price for loose cut tobacco. I think further more Amsterdam is a overrated city, but I live near the biggest rival city Rotterdam, which is like New York vs Boston ;).

You can't smoke anywhere inside, cigarshops are not allowed to have a lounge.

So my advice? Bring your own and/or plan a trip to Germany, for pipe related and visiting a city I recommend Cologne (Köln) or Munich (München). Köln is a beautifull city with its Gothic cathedral, you'll also find a Peter Heinrichs store in it. Munich is also a very nice city with a great food culture and very nice nature around it, you'll also find Pfeifen Huber in the city.
 

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
3,726
37,054
France
You have been well advised. Bring some tobacco. In London you will find some good blends but it is expensive. Id bring my own stash and buy something you may not be able to find in the US.

France is a pipe tobacco wasteland. Im not sure about Amsterdam but my friend who lives in the Netherlands says choices are limited.

If you go to Germany you can get nearly anything at fair prices. That said, other than a few bends you can get most of it in the US. You already live in tobacco paradise. Expect everything else to be downhill unless you do your homework.

To get an idea of what is sold in the Uk look online at GQ tobacco and a few others. Keep in mind they are mail order and will likely have things harder to find. But Id wager there are good shops in London.

In the Netherlands you can get Semois tobacco if you want to try it.

My suggestion...buy a pipe or two. Plenty of pipes and they last forever.

And smoking in French cafes and outdoor restruants is easy. I personally will sit to the outside edge or down wind if Im smoking a long time. Its just polite. I smoke a pipe but I still dont like smoke if Im having a meal.

ONE LAST THING: You are flying, Id suggest bringing sealed tins of your own supply. If customs pulls you over its a lot easier and faster for them to assess them than bulk. That said, you are allowed to bring in about 8oz per person. If you have far less they will just waive yout through. If you get close to that mark with bulk they would have to weigh it. Maybe someone else knows the process for sure but they can quickly look at a tin and send you on your way. After a super long flight from the West Coast you wont feel like messing with customs agents.
 
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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
21,762
53,542
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
The hotel I stay at in London has an outside smoking area which is serviced by the bar. Can be chilly and wet, although a large umbrella is often set out. So, yes there are places where smoking is allowed in London. The concierge even quietly advised I could smoke at an open window in the room if I did so discreetly. 1200.00 a night for a double last time I stayed. So, allowances are made.

Corrected the room cost. Hope no one had a heart attack.
$1200 a night is the corrected price??!! Does it at least include a morning blow job, or a full English breakfast?
Yikes!
 

jguss

Lifer
Jul 7, 2013
2,753
7,657
$1200 a night is the corrected price??!! Does it at least include a morning blow job, or a full English breakfast?
Yikes!

Yes, plus an unsmoked birth year Dunhill and a bag of Stonehaven.

You should know the morning blow job is given by one of the Beefeaters from the Tower. For some guests that’s a minus for others a plus; it apparently evens out.
 

jaingorenard

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 11, 2022
848
3,780
Norwich, UK
Yes, plus an unsmoked birth year Dunhill and a bag of Stonehaven.

You should know the morning blow job is given by one of the Beefeaters from the Tower. For some guests that’s a minus for others a plus; it apparently evens out.
They're experienced chaps; never underestimate length of service!
 
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chilllucky

Lifer
Jul 15, 2018
1,242
3,270
Chicago, IL, USA
scoosa.com
The UK will allow you to bring 250 grams of tobacco for personal use on your trip. You will have to look up the allowances for the other nations on your itinerary.

London has an active social group, The Pipe Club of London, who meets monthly at a Pub with a large-ish outdoor smoking area in a suburb of the city. Check their events calendar. If your trip overlaps a meeting, and you bring 5, 50g/2ounce tins of American blends not available in the UK, I guarantee that you will make lifelong friends and walk away with at least the equivalent weight of hard for you to find blends.
 

HawkeyeLinus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2020
6,211
43,496
Midwest
London - you can smoke in the public parks of which there are plenty and vast, there are dedicated smoking lounges in some hotels where you could enjoy a pipe or cigar (but you may need to buy one of their cigars on premise, big deal).

We spent some time at JJ Fox - incredible Churchill museum downstairs. The smoking lounge upstairs wasn't busy the day we were there, enjoyed a couple of chairs near the window - enjoyed one of their cigars - a Romeo y Julieta. Pretty relaxing. Otherwise, easy to get lost and relax in Hyde Park, etc.
 

dd57chevy

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 7, 2023
513
1,539
Iowa
The hotel I stay at in London has an outside smoking area which is serviced by the bar. 1200.00 a night for a double last time I stayed.

Hope no one had a heart attack.
Is this a high end , 5 star palace ???

I guess they have no Red Roof Inns.............
 
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