Yes, you can smoke at Pau Pyrénées Airport (PUF) in the open-air areas in front of the single terminal, near the entrance, the drop-off lane and the car-park pedestrian routes. As at all French airports the interior is non-smoking, so the practical plan is to light up outside the building before heading through security.
Terminal Layout
Pau Pyrénées (Pau Uzein) is a compact regional airport with a single passenger terminal handling both departures and arrivals on a connected landside level. Check-in, security and the boarding gates are all reached from the one building, which serves routes to Paris, Lyon and a small number of other destinations. Because the airport is small, orientation is easy and the walk from the entrance to the gates is short.
There is no confirmed indoor smoking room and no airside (post-security) smoking terrace at PUF, which is the norm for French regional airports of this size. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the terminal, including the departures hall, the gates, cafés and restrooms.
Outside the Terminal (Landside)
The reliable place to smoke is outdoors, in the open-air areas in front of the terminal entrance. Look for ashtrays near the doors, along the drop-off (kiss-and-fly) lane and on the pedestrian routes coming in from the car parks. Keep a sensible distance from the doorways so smoke does not drift back inside, and use the ashtrays rather than the ground.
These outdoor areas are uncovered, so allow for weather, especially in winter. They are convenient on arrival too: after collecting bags and stepping out of arrivals you are straight at the front of the building, where you can have a cigarette before heading to the car park, taxi rank or bus.
After Security and Connections
Once you pass the security checkpoint there is no confirmed smoking area airside, so the best advice is to smoke at the front of the terminal before you go through. If you need a cigarette while waiting for a connection you would have to exit landside and be re-screened, so build that into your timing or simply smoke before clearing security.
Summary
| Area | Smoking area | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal interior | None | Entire building is non-smoking |
| Terminal frontage | Outdoor areas by the entrance | Ashtrays, landside, uncovered |
| Drop-off / car parks | Outdoor areas near the lane and pedestrian routes | Short walk from the doors |
| After security (airside) | None confirmed | No indoor room or airside terrace |
| On arrival | Outdoor areas in front of the terminal | Step straight out after baggage claim |
Flying via Paris instead? See our guide to smoking at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
For France airport smoking rules, the vape ban, and other general info, see our France smoking guide.