France will ban smoking on beaches, in parks, outside schools and in other locations to protect children, France's health and families minister said. The ban will come into effect in July, Catherine Vautrin said in an interview with the Ouest France newspaper late on Thursday.

Smoking will be banned in all outdoor places that can be frequented by children from July, France's health minister said.

Even the French have admitted that smoking is not sexy anymore, with the country introducing sweeping new laws to ban the act in most outdoor areas. The injunction, which online commentators have jokingly suggested is tantamount to a ban on being French,