I was in the gym this morning doing my typical Monday morning workout -- cardio then some weights. It's the Club Med Gym which is a nice gym in France.
I noticed a white cloud of smoke rising about a woman's head in the row of bikes in front of me. At first, I thought, "Fire". But, I didn't smell anything and no one else seemed concerned. So, not wanting to make a big, American-accented French panic, I waited to see what was going on. It happened again and this time I realized that the woman in front of me was smoking an electronic cigarette while riding the stationery bike. I couldn't believe it.
No one else seemed to notice, no heads were turning, no one (else) was grimacing. I finished my cardio session and decided to ask at the front desk if smoking is allowed before making a comment. I found a nice woman that I know, Natalie, who told me right away that, "On n'a pas le droite" to smoke in the gym.
She quickly found the woman and kicked her out. Hurray!
Electronic cigarettes are allowed in bars, restaurants and some other public places in Paris. I don't know about the workplace but I would guess they're not allowed. They aren't allowed on public transport. It's just another form of smoke in my opinion, even if you can't smell it, you can certainly see it.
