Despite several highly publicized fires in the City of Light, it was only recently that French legislators passed a law mandating smoke detector installation. By January 2016 all living facilities in France are required to have smoke detectors (détecteur de fumée). Paris’s beauty makes it easy to forget that Haussmann didn’t have safety codes in mind when renovating the city. Nor did medieval architects consider how difficult it would be for a firetruck to race down a narrow, cobblestone street. Several hundred years later, despite the services of the city’s brave firefighters (les sapeurs-pompiers de Paris), many of Paris’s buildings remain not only fire hazards, but fire traps.
Whether you are moving to Paris permanently or relocating for the long term, it is important to check if where you’re staying is equipped with at least one smoke detector. When you’re planning a move and packing your suitcases, smoke detectors aren’t the first thing you think of, but they might be the most important thing you pack or buy on arrival. Paris brings to mind baguettes and bistros, not fires, but the reality is that such dangers can occur anytime, anywhere. Considering a fire breaks out every 2 minutes in France, a smoke detector is an essential purchase. For as little as 20€ you can make your space fire safe. Even though smoke detectors aren’t mandatory yet, they are relatively easy to find. Major home stores, local hardware shops, and even some bigger grocery chains sell smoke detectors. For a sure bet though, visit one of the stores listed below. These stores also sell everything you need for a quick and easy installation.
Mr. Bricolage (Click here to see the store’s presentation on installing smoke detectors. The slides are in French, but a website like Google Translate can help you get the most important information from the presentation.)
166 Rue St Maur, 75011 Paris
21 Rue Ménilmontant, 75020 Paris
Castorama
C C Les Arcades 1/3 rue de Caulaincourt, 75018 Paris Clichy
11 Cours de Vincennes, 75020 Paris
119 Avenue Flandre, 75019 Paris
BHV Rivoli
55 rue de la Verrerie, 75004 Paris
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Fantastic post! I lost one of my best friends to a Paris fire in April. Do you mind if I post your blog on our blog? Our website is http://www.firesafetyfoundation.org, a global foundation we created to promote global fire safety and raise awareness about fires.
Thanks again for your thoughtful words.
Yes – well done for pointing this up. My daughter was one of the young women who was in the fire Zoe Friedland talked about. She survived, but her injuries were severe. Simple fire safety equipment would have prevented this tragedy.