Paris, France
Smoking tolerance level [1= very illegal 5=virtually legal]: 3
Legislation: Marijuana (buds or hash bars) is NOT legal in France according to the law. Though it is quite tolerated. It’s OK as long as you avoid being too obvious.
Marijuana and Hashish and any related action (buying, selling, growing, smoking), are a criminal offense imposing a penalty of two months to one year in jail in addition to a fine of 56 EUR to 1680 EUR.
Law Enforcement: Police patrols (in cars / walking) are scouting different areas and streets, but they are not aggressive with tourists. Mostly like they will not say anything or look away. Avoid being to obvious, though.
Keep in mind that the police may arrest you for any soft drug related activity. They may also look away, but there are fair chances of getting into trouble. The courts are a bit more forgiving, and tend to release small amount private users with a warning.
of course the texts themselves are very hard but almost never apllied in Paris. Don’t smoke in public spaces or cars -your car can be stopped by traffic cops and that smell …Hum, no good! – but don’t freak out, french smoke a lot!
Just don’t look obviously stoned or smoking and you’ll be cool.
Our most recent report is: “Well if you got one or two Spliffs of hash there will be no problems if you keep it cool but if you got more than 4 or 5 grams then you will have a problem Just hide it Remember they can’t check what you got if they have not seen you smoking (but french cops are a bit rough so keep it cool again…..
For weed, law is a bit rougher but french cops are nicer (if you are found with hascich they will probably say you to smoke weed instead…
and another report is: “They don’t hassle tourists for MJ unless you make it so that they must arrest you.
In the streets of Paris you can smoke freely whilst walking ; don’t hang with hoods on in dark places and beware of parks (small ones) where cycle police sometimes does rounds.Otherwise its really no stress ; they piss us off but it ain’t Nevada here…Go on the “Quai” near Notre Dames on Friday and Saturdays, you might score though i doubt it but if you come with beer or wine you’ll meet cool young people (15-25) hanging out playing music or skateboarding and smoking J’s…Plus you might trade the beer for a joint or two if the day’s hunting didn’t go well!”
and also: “The entire time that I have lived in Paris I have always smoked in the street without problems. This above all in the east, in the zone that goes from Belleville until Nation (Menilmontant, Gambetta, Charonne etc…)”
Where to buy Marijuana in Paris: Our local reporter had this extensive report on the latest scoring info: “no hesitation go to the suburbs … Paris is a gigantic rip off if you don’t already know somebody or can’t handle a discussion with french “bro’s” …”
The situation the article on this website describes is no longer as available as depicted … Even if one year ago, you could easily get a 12g of hash for 25 euros if you searched and were not afraid to negotiate, this does not exist anymore. Nowadays, such amounts can only be found in the suburbs.
1. Pigalle / Blanche, as said by others, just need to walk around and dealers will ask you for a cigarette for “the family”, then propose you some shit (hash). However MOST OF THEM DO NOT ACTUALLY SELL MARIJUANA ! but caramel bars that cost maximum 50 cents from any bakery shop in France … If you’re willing to give 20 euros for this, go ahead, i won’t do it anymore (went there several times, never got even a gram of decent hash …) ! so avoid this place !
2. Chatelet / Strasbourg Saint-Denis: the oldest place for selling hash in Paris, (and also for prostitution), if you go there to buy, you most certainly will end up talking to an undercover cop, or get your money stolen by a bunch of black guys … No good …
3. Try one of the other hotspots of the city, maybe you will find something… but expect no good deal… Also to be noted that on Saturday nights and during important events, there is always someone selling good hash around nearly every public place, but in small quantities (you will hardly get a gram for 20 euros, but it’s decent stuff)
4. If you are brave or sick of Paris ripoffs enough and want to try the suburbs, i do not suggest going there alone or “just with your girlfriend”, have some french males come with you and do the talking, preferably from the suburbs themselves or experienced potheads … If you don’t know where to go (Paris suburbs are simply HUGE), here is one place where you can buy good to very good (called “sum”, and real one this time) hash: Take RER C, towards Etampes, and get down at Savigny sur Orge, the trip should last 30 minutes and cost you 8 euros total… There are dozens of young people hanging out by the train station, just ask a few and you’ll find what you’re looking for, with honest prices. Be careful though: Only go there if there is sunlight (if it’s raining, too cold, or at night, they are nowhere to be found) and do not accept to go “get the stuff” with them at their “pretend” domicile or basement: very very very very risky … From basic robbery to kidnapping ! Better ask for another public place to meet in later if this is proposed to you … Prepare your cash in advance and don’t take your passport or other important or valuable objects as these may be stolen on the way there, or during the deal!
(03/03/2009)Our Latest reports tell us: “You can go to Trucadero line 9 and get some pretty good hash there from some Arabic groups who like to hang around by the stairs on the side closest to the Eiffel tower. Watch out though there are alot of rip offs there, when you buy the hash start walking away because they like to send people to come and get the hash back from you by threatening to call the police and being forceful. If this happens you should laugh at them and tell them to fuck off because you can also call the police and say they were trying to mug you. Some of the best weed and hash you can get is at Anvers line 2 there is a group of Africans selling bracelets at the opening of the park when you leave the metro start walking up the street that is directly to your right once walking up this street there should be a cloths store to you left and a cafe to your right keep going till your at the top of the street then it will be obvious, its also a touristy area as well. Simply let them do the bracelet and when there done give them 5 euros even if they ask for more and ask for weed, or marijuana or you can ask for “shit” (hash). These people are very friendly and most of them speak English or understand it and speak little. They may try to rip you off but always for weed you should get 2 small bags for 50 and 4 for 100 you can always go lower in prices but the weed that they sell is very good quality Amsterdam Skunk 1 hit for me and i was baked ^^ You know if there ripping you off if they don’t make you stay they should make you stay for a while and they usually go get it in the park never give them the money first always give them the money after you see it. And be aggressive if you need to because they don’t want to attract attention and will give you a good deal.”
Further more: One of the best places to find good hash for good money is the Montmartre Area, at the foot of Sacre Coeur Basilica (N of city). Exactly at the entrance of the park, at the lower level, one will spot groups of 3 – 5 black-Africans hanging around. `Officially` they manufacture hand-made cotton string bracelets as souvenir for tourists. Unofficially they may sell you bars of hash. Almost never weed. Hashish is very popular. They usually hide their stuff in different places in the park (bushes, under rocks, in trash bins, under benches, etc) and just go and get it accoring to the sum of money you are willing to offer them. At first call they may want to trick you. Give more money for a smaller bar. But don’t hesitate to deal with them. You will sure get out with a quarter price off.
Really, really, really good hash in belleville, near faubourg du temple and boulervard belleville. You can find good hash for few euro. Weed is hardest to find but, if you are lucky, you can smoke Amsterdam top quality Orange or Ice… the price is really honest. Look in 10, 11, 20 arrondissement for positive vibes, quite people and potent pot.
The safest and most reliable bet for finding soft drugs is to ask a French friend or acquaintance.
Otherwise, try to find some young people and ask them . If not ,you can try les Halles or Le forum des Halles and ask to one of the dozens of young hanging around , Barbs can be an option but be careful with your money!
A local reporter noted: “Les Forum Des Halles at night. Near the jazz clubs you will see the Africans running the show. Lots of rip offs. Prepare to pay. I got a qtr ounce for 50e of some decent Moroccan hash. It came like stick. It was worth it though. Just look for the African gane that is being run out of the restaurants and cafe’s”
and also :”In Rue S.Maur (Belleville) there are many bar and in the street there is always much people. Here you can find of the optimal hash, truly honest prices. In order to find some weed in Rue Tolbiac, in front of the university Sorbonne there are usually many dealers. Good weed and enough low prices. In order to make transactions truly good it convene to go outside, in the banlieues. The reggae events are other optimal options. The S.Martin Channel is an other good option. In Paris truly a lot is smoked”
and also:” Paris offers much occasion for possible, good purchases. The hash is omnipresent and the prices are good. According to me the better places are Stalingrad, boulevard or rue de Belleville, Charonne, Gambetta (north east-east); Quai de la Gare, Bel Air, Butte aux-Cailles (south-east). To find the weed is more difficult, for good transactions you must know someone. I smoked an optimal weed for 5/6e X 1g. The quality generally is more than good. In the Africans or Indians zones smoke hash or weed it is most normal. Dreadlocks (the these zones are full of rasta) are always a good sign.”
and: “At the Boulevard de Clichy (Metro 2 station Blanche) you just have to walk around for a while and most probably some dealer will approach you. They hang out there in masses during the night, especially during the weekend. No problems with police. It’s also “safe” as there’s always a lot of people around, many tourists. They speak English and will make you pay a lot, but still it’s usually good quality. So if you just need/want some and have no other sources, there’s always one place to go.”
Marijuana prices: Currently inside Paris, you will get a gram of bad hash for 30 euros or more. It’s a ripoff, and there are no more good places to make a deal inside the city. You must absolutely know someone (then, suddenly you get back to the normal prices, 1 barette = 30 euros of normal hash… A 12 grams of normal quality is around 50 euros presently. (from 30 in the suburbs, up to 70 or more inside Paris)
The prices for weed vary from one extreme to the other depending on who you’re dealing with … So i can’t really tell, but don’t buy by the gram if you don’t know the person very well !
I was in Paris for around the end of June 2007. I easily found someone selling hash at 5 euro for a gram in the Trocadero park across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower.
and also: “they don’t sell by gram, but by hashish bars. If you have a trained eye measure it yourself, don’t trust them (may say 15 g and it’s only 12). Hash bars usually have 12-20 grams. you can buy good hash bars in Montmartre (lower Sacre Couer Park) for 35-50 EUR / 12 – 15 g bar. quality is usually more than OK.
For 30 euros IF you know a few french people (it can be 30 to 50 euros depends on quality and in dealer’s honesty) for 12 grams of haschich but the weed can be from 50 to 90 for 12.”
a recent report we received is: “Hello I’m french i live in Paris, i just wanted to say something about the thing u write “10 grams is called a “barette”; actually there are “barettes” of 10€, 20€, 30€…
here we cut like this: 200g = 4*50g = 8*25g = 16*12g, and if u get the right dealer, with a 12g you can make 2 “barettes” of 30€, then you can make 3 barettes of 10€ for example
NOTE: i’m talking about the hashich, note that it can be different with weed, and prices may differ, it depends the quality of the hashish, and the people you buy from NOTE 2: in france we call the hashish “shit”
and another reporter added: “5g X 20e Hash
5g X 40e Weed”
and also: “La Boule : 30euro ziplockss, usually gets you 5-6g of hash or 4-5g of herb. No soapbar there, they have a reputation to keep up. You can buy 4 or 5 at the same time if you like.”
More information: HEALTH WARNING !! (important)
DO NOT BUY WEED FROM STREET DEALERS ! use only people who you trust, or who grow pot ! Also, even if you already met the person several times, do not buy weed according to weight … If they propose this and you are not even remotely friends with them, it is a bad sign so you better cancel the deal… You’ll understand in a minute:
There actually is a reason why there is almost no weed, and always Hash in France ! weed is somewhat unpopular among non regular smokers because since 2006, there have been countless reports and news articles (even on TV) of weed mixed with shredded glass, sand, neon powder or other heavy metals like mercury, leading the authorities to intensify the anti-drug policy because of health risks induced by this situation… These are VERY high:
Shredded glass and sand, while inhaled at high temperature (due to the joint’s fire) will permanently attach to your lungs, destroying this organ of your body, if you continue to smoke while having doubts, you may bleed and cough blood, or worse, get your lungs perforated or filled with sand, eventually leading to potential alien formations inside your organs while your body fails to destroy the intruder which, being a mineral, cannot be destroyed by organic means…
Best case scenario, you’ll stay with it inside your body for the rest of your life, worst case scenario you’ll end up in hospital with a loooong 5 years period to recover from it (modern medicine in France can efficiently cure you though, and no legal pursuits are to be expected except maybe the police asking you questions about your dealer: don’t hesitate a second to tell the name and any info you got on this kind of people so they can bust his criminal ass ! These guys are murderers not dealers, so have no respect whatsoever for them even if you know them well ! Also the police would be even less regarding than today if these guys didn’t exist, so … do your duty as a citizen AND as a pothead and make the world a safer place for us all if this happens to you by going to the police, you won’t go to jail or pay fines or anything you will be a victim of attempted poisoning punishable by 30 years in prison up to a lifelong incarceration ! The french nation as a whole will also be grateful to you ! If you’re European, you can also get a partial refund of your hospital cost and repatriation costs by plane or ambulance through the European health card !), and during this time it’s forbidden for you to smoke !! So don’t mess up … Said weed has been sold as white widow or other “chemical” or “import” weeds from the Netherlands, because of the preparation technique: the substances are sprayed on the plant, to mimic the little crystals of THC and increase it’s weight, making it more profitable when sold …
Mercury is a known poison that can be deadly, this is more rare and kinda new…
“infested areas” include Paris, Nantes, Lille and Lyon (from official sources), and rumors say all major cities are involved in this traffic … However, in the countryside or small cities, it is safe to buy weed from locals as they grow it themselves in their backyard and don’t do that kind of stuff … Also you’ll get a gigantic bag of the best weed for 50 euros there ! (check out Montpellier for this stuff)
Enjoy the good vibes after a joint in Paris terraces aside the ST Martin Canal, (apparently you can buy there too but never saw a deal or made one there, and i live 5mn away) and try one of the numerous reggae/dancehall parties on a boat by the Seine (hot !! + good stuff sold there by club dealers) …
Country: France
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1
Telephone Area Code: + 33-1
Editors Choice Restaurants 2 places that one must check out when in Paris and stoned!!
1 – Brasserie “Chez Denise” 5, rue des Prouvaires, 95001, Paris – This is a classic Parisian Bistro, which is open very late, maybe even 24hrs you would have to check. However, the food is great, easy and served in big healthy portions. The atmosphere is bright a talkative, with tables close to each other. Dont be intimidated by the locals who WILL stare at you and your friends, but that’s just the norm, so enjoy the simple but deliciously tasty menu at all hours!! A real CLASSIC!!!
2 – “Pershing Hall” 49, rue Pierre Charron, 75008 Paris – This is the famed modern restaurant of the Pershing Hall Hotel. With its great space, lighting and weirdly wonderful feel, this is a definite hot spot worth checking out. Annually considered to be a hip spot for drink, or a full sit down dinner. With an eclectic and diverse menu from food to wine and cocktails, Pershing Hall is a night you wont soon forget!!
City Tale:
One of the world’s hippest cities, Paris is known for its decadence. Whether indulging in a rich meal or sipping an array of legendary wines, this picturesque capital of 13 million has always offered its visitors unending opportunities for self-indulgence. And the indulgence of a potent joint is no exception.
William Butler Yeats reportedly smoked hash during a Paris visit in the spring of 1898. Jim Morrison most certainly enjoyed a few joints before he died here in 1971. Now, despite a government that has tried to sweep away even soft drug use, the French embrace of joie de vivre persists. “Most of the people of our generation take some marijuana frequently,” said Emmanuelle, a 27-year-old French woman. High quality pot is allegedly grown in the French wine country alongside the grapes that make up their famous vino, while catching a whiff of burning weed is not unheard of on the Paris streets.
“On Sunday, our day off, seeing that none of us had family in Paris we’d all meet at the local Algerian cafe where we spent all day eating couscous, drinking Algerian wine, listening to Algerian Rai music and smoking some of the best Moroccan hash,” noted an Australian named RV.
A gram of poor quality Moroccan pot can cost as little as five francs – less than one American dollar – while one anonymous user said he found “top quality Amsterdam skunk or Northern Lights” selling for about 10 EUR per gram.
Hash averages between 5 EUR 6 EUR per gram.
Emmanuelle explained that her countrymen refer to hash as “shit,” and that when buying the French call 10 grams a “barette” and 100 grams a “savonnette.” “Normally in France they roll a joint as a mixture of tobacco and hash right off a tiny brick, with a bus ticket for a filter end, to make the cigarette easier to handle, easier to smoke down to the bit,” said a visitor named Blinkin. He added that his French companions produced a cigar-sized joint of “realistically pure hash.”
The safest and most reliable bet for finding soft drugs in such a huge city is to ask a French friend or acquaintance. Otherwise, Paris boasts endless nightspots with possibility ranging from huge dance clubs to seedy bars. The Montmartre and Pigalle areas have well-known red light districts that are likely to have a few people willing to supply for a price.
The French government, however, has gone out of its way to make life difficult for smokers. President Jacques Chirac has taken a hard line against all drugs, and the government has even gone so far as to stifle public displays sympathetic to soft drug use. French law restricts free expression by outlawing any “presentation in a favourable manner of narcotics.” A cannabis culture magazine in Paris, “l’Elephant Rose,” went out of business when editor Gerard Jubert was brought up on charges of “instigation to use cannabis substances,” a violation of the country’s public health code. A Paris court handed down an 18-month suspended sentence and fined him 300,000 francs ($40,500). Jean-Pierre Galland – a leading marijuana crusader who has been pushing the legalization issue in France for years – was given a suspended prison sentence and fined for “positive presentation” of marijuana through his organization, Collectif d’Information et de Recherche Cannabique (Collective for Information and Research into Cannabis). He has also racked up thousands in fines for organizing the “18 Joint” marijuana rally in Paris every June 18.
“No distinction exists between hard and soft drugs in French law,” according to marijuana advocacy group NORML. “In theory, all drug use is a criminal offence imposing a penalty of two months to one year in jail in addition to a fine of 56 EUR to 1680 EUR.” However, NORML reports that sentencing is “flexible.” “In most cases involving small amounts of drugs, the French courts can decide simply to issue a warning or impose a compulsory therapy order in lieu of prosecution,” NORML said. But the group warned that all possession and trafficking is punishable by a sentence of between two and 10 years in jail, although most possession cases involving a small amount for personal consumption are downgraded to drug use.
“The use of all drugs is illegal in France but that does not mean you’ll waste away in prison if you take them,” said Michel Bouchet, head of the French Interior Ministry’s Anti-Drug Commission. In fact, while French Health Minister Bernard Kouchner spoke against decriminalisation, he offered some hope by noting he would not oppose measures allowing smokers to indulge privately in their homes. The official government position, however, is still a tough stance against all drugs. “I do not think there are ‘soft’ or ‘hard’ drugs,” Bouchet said. “It’s difficult for there to be ‘soft use’ of hard drugs, and it’s certain there is hard use of soft drugs.”
In light of the attitude of French authorities, an American offered a caution to fellow travelers. “I would suggest you all have a great time in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany,” said Californian Jim Lohse. “But in places like France I just don’t think it’s worth the risk. Just drink more beer, or in Paris, drink more wine.”