Marijuana Laws
As recorded December 15, 2025 · not verified as current law. France law
Cannabis laws in Aix-en-Provence follow France’s national law. Cannabis enforcement and penalties are governed by jurisdiction law, not city-specific rules in most cases.
Under the law, recreational cannabis is illegal, but small personal possession typically results in a fine. Medical cannabis is available on a limited basis. Some hemp-derived products may be sold under separate rules, but that does not mean marijuana is legal, and legality can depend on product content and labeling.
Quick facts
- Recreational: Illegal (fines common)
- Medical: Limited
- Possession: Small amounts typically fined
- Buying/Selling: Illegal
- Tourists: Subject to on-the-spot fines
Practical guidance
Avoid cross-border transport of cannabis products. Do not assume informal tolerance equals legality.
Law Enforcement
Walk around Aix-en-Provence on a summer day and you might see groups of young people smoking hash in the street. That doesn’t mean the police will tolerate it.
There was a lot of talk about a seller nicknamed “Le Rasta,” about hundreds of customers, a thick police file and deals in apartment corridors. I also heard that customers had been arrested near his place. It was street talk, and I stayed clear.
Where to Buy Marijuana
Most of the hash I saw had come up from Marseille. People called it “shit.” Weed was much harder to find, and what little I saw was expensive and usually poor.
I remember the crowd around Parc Jourdan, Parc de la Torse and the side streets off the Cours Mirabeau. O’Sullivans and O’Shannon’s were familiar pubs, with the Netgamers internet café nearby. Farther up the Cours Mirabeau was a shisha bar called Arabesc.
I’d steer clear of street deals in Jas de Bouffan. I’d heard of people getting compacted soil passed off as hash or even being robbed at gunpoint. Never hand over cash until you’ve seen what you’re buying. Marseille was about thirty minutes away by train and I heard better prices in the suburbs, though talking with people there took a lot more French than in Aix.
Marijuana Prices
€20 was generally the minimum for hash. A block at that price lasted me five to ten joints. For weed the minimum I heard was €40 or €60.
Types of Marijuana
The hash was mostly good. I didn’t see much of the cheap soapbar making it up from Marseille. Whatever grade a dealer calls it, expect a sales pitch.
More Information
Most places selling cigarettes shut around seven. After that I heard of people getting them under the counter at bars or cafés. La Cintra, near La Rotonde, was open around the clock then.