French Beach Bans Smoking CheapOair Staff August 3, 2011 general No Smoking! In an effort to attract more families a small town in Provence called La Ciotat, located in southern France, has banned smoking at Plage Lumiere beach. The ban was implemented at the beginning of the summer. According to the MSNBC report, it’s the only non-smoking beach in France. Fortunately enough for smokers, the ban only covers a part of La Ciotat’s eight miles of sea. French bars, cafes and restaurants are also bearing the brunt of more no-smoking rules.