Carry laws in France?

M

mwgbb11

Joined
Feb 3, 2003
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16
Just found out I will be taking a 3 week hiking/rafting/camping expedition in France during July. I will be flying into Bordeaux. I've searched but haven't found any type of carry laws. Are there any I should know about? I've noticed we have some members from France so I thought I would ask. Thanks for any help you can give.

Matt
 
I have never been to France, but I understand that all pocket knives are illegal. I understan that it is an old law from the Vichy regime that has never been taken off the books and that it is not always enforced, but the police can arrest you if they decide to.
 
I'd try to cancel the france trip, and go to spain instead....france needs a boycotting.
Isn't anything that could be used to protect yourself illegal in france?
 
Originally posted by Sticky
I'd try to cancel the france trip, and go to spain instead....france needs a boycotting.
Isn't anything that could be used to protect yourself illegal in france?
Click to expand...
Sticky,
Are you quite sure you are not mixing France and Great Britain?

I have visited France numerous times and never had any problems carrying my Delica or, recently, Ti-Salsa. Do not cause problems with your behavior and you will be safe with each sensible knife in your pocket.
 
Originally posted by Sticky
I'd try to cancel the france trip, and go to spain instead....france needs a boycotting.
Isn't anything that could be used to protect yourself illegal in france?
Click to expand...

Defend yourself? Good grief, we're talking about the French! Why would a Frenchman try to defend himself, and screw up a perfectly good opportunity to surrender?!?!
 
Hard to believe they are illegal. When I walked in downtown Dijon two years ago, a lot of little shops carried a nice variety of pocket knives - including automatics.

Oh, by the way, don't confuse the French people with their politicians. Their politicians suck, but then so do ours.
 
You're right, french laws prohibit to carry any "edged weapons" (it is not a Vichy regime law. The weapons law in France date from before WWII). But if you put a ~2.5 inch bladed knife in your pocket, I'm almost sure that nobody will asks you something. A ~2.5" knife is an edged item, but it is difficult to consider it has a weapon !!!

I personnaly carry a small Sebenza and a Benchmade 942 for EDC. I was controled sometimes and never have any problems(try to avoid the popular places). If you are in the field for hunting, rafting or something like that, it represents a "anger reason" to carry a knife so you are allowed to do this. For the airplane travel, I don't know what is allowed, I'm sorry !

For the other problem, I sincerly have to say I don't have any opinon. "To be or not to be" is not my cup of tea. But there is one thing I know : I sometimes disagree with my brother, we sometimes have a row but I never hated my brother for this. ;)
 
Thanks for the help everybody. I should guess my little kershaw avalanche won't be a problem as long as I don't plan to involve the police in any way ;). It's not really a vacation, sort of an outreach opportunity. Again, thanks for the input.

Matt
 
The laws in France are very silmar in Canada; You can carry any knife as long as your not carrying it as a weapon. So a little pocket knife is okay, but if your carrying your an 11" stilleto in France but it's still legal the police are going to shake there heads if you claim to use it as a tool/ But certian knives are banned in Canada (Automatics in particular). Surpisinlgy Spring assited knives here are completey legal, no problems (so far).
 
Originally posted by Sticky
I'd try to cancel the france trip, and go to spain instead....france needs a boycotting.
Isn't anything that could be used to protect yourself illegal in france?
Click to expand...

Ditto. Screw the French. You don't need to go there. And I know that it is in England where anything you can use for self defense is illegal to carry. Stupidest motherf*ckin' thing I ever HEARD of, but as far as my best intel, it's true. Dunno about France, but probably.
 
These asinine remarks are truly pathetic.

France is a great country to visit and Paris is without doubt the most beautiful city in the world. You'll have a great time.

The knife laws are weird. It is as indicated above, but at the same time you can buy some highly sinister autos right on the Champs Elysees, from street vendors with tables.

An example might help you get the idea, although this relates to Italy, which isn't exactly the same of course, but still... I was at Rome airport a year ago, in an area waiting for a flight to Milan - couldn't go outside, in other words. Someone with me wanted a cigarette, badly as it had been 21 hours in the air to that point. So I walked over to this Airport police officer and asked where we might go. He explained politely but firmly that smoking was not permitted anywhere at the airport, under any circumstances. In his next breath however, he pointed to a nearby spot - nothing different about it from the rest of the area - saying that well if we wanted to smoke, we could go there.

Comprende?
 
Originally posted by peacefuljeffrey
Ditto. Screw the French. You don't need to go there. And I know that it is in England where anything you can use for self defense is illegal to carry. Stupidest motherf*ckin' thing I ever HEARD of, but as far as my best intel, it's true. Dunno about France, but probably.
Click to expand...
Hmm, maybe I should state my thoughts somewhat more clearly although not as politely...
OK, in my honest opinion you more than likely do need to go there or anywhere else at least to get somewhat more matured and civilized.

No one country has ideal laws what could satisfy everyone. Just a small bit of tolerance and respect for people around you, no matter in what country...

Now reporting this post to Moderators :(
 
Matt,
As to KERSHAW Avalanche – it is very good knife and you certainly can’t go wrong with it. However contacting with a community you are not familiar with I would advise you to prefer truly manually opening knife. The formal legality is one thing and people reception is quite another. In the most people imagination each knife what pops open in your hand is some kind of auto and causes associations with something close to unhealthy penchant at least.
Being in completely unknown society I tend to open (if I need) even simple one hand opening knives calmly and using both hands. This cause much less attention, I had a lot of opportunities to convince myself.

No suggestions here, however SPYDERCO Delica is my most favorite foreign travel knife. It fits practically each cutting task what I could need in urbanized area. It is slim, lightweight and practically unnoticeable in your pocket, both for yourself and for bystanders.
Not the least – it looks modestly and doesn’t cause the desire to confiscate it if some officious custom or LEO would see it. The knives are quite expensive in Europe and certain kind of the people you can meet everywhere.

BTW, welcome to our polite and highly civilized knife community!
 
"These asinine remarks are truly pathetic."

What's pathetic is that people get offended by talking smack about France and yet it's open season on the good Old USA. My GF just got back from france and had numerous experiences of open namecalling, taunting, and a general despise of her and her classmates(and this wasn't by a bunch of kids either)
I guess the french are mad knowing we are/were the only thin line of defense standing between their freedom and past, current and future conquerers.
Goes to show that no good deed goes unpunished I guess.
 
Originally posted by Sergiusz Mitin
Matt,
As to KERSHAW Avalanche – it is very good knife and you certainly can’t go wrong with it. However contacting with a community you are not familiar with I would advise you to prefer truly manually opening knife. The formal legality is one thing and people reception is quite another. In the most people imagination each knife what pops open in your hand is some kind of auto and causes associations with something close to unhealthy penchant at least.
Being in completely unknown society I tend to open (if I need) even simple one hand opening knives calmly and using both hands. This cause much less attention, I had a lot of opportunities to convince myself.

No suggestions here, however SPYDERCO Delica is my most favorite foreign travel knife. It fits practically each cutting task what I could need in urbanized area. It is slim, lightweight and practically unnoticeable in your pocket, both for yourself and for bystanders.
Not the least – it looks modestly and doesn’t cause the desire to confiscate it if some officious custom or LEO would see it. The knives are quite expensive in Europe and certain kind of the people you can meet everywhere.

BTW, welcome to our polite and highly civilized knife community!
Click to expand...

Thank you to those that answered my question without turning it into a flame war. :)

Funny you say that, I was just about to buy a Spyderco delica anyway. I will probably still take both the delica and kershaw, along with my SAK. I can't see myself needing to open the avalanche while in the city, but if the need presents itself the two hand opening method leaves it fairly inconspicuous. The kershaw will probably remain in the suitcase until we are out on the trail.

Matt
 
One final suggestion from me would be to take only your SAK. The SAK is the one folding knife in whole world that is only seen as a tool. You could then have an excuse to hang out in some of the French knife shops and pick up some unique European cutlery that is hard to get over here.;)
 
The UK and Spain have similarly repressive knife laws. I've been to France a few times and there was open selling of knives of all kinds. Can't say I know what the laws are in France, but they seem better than here.
 
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