[4] In March 1954, SEITA launched the "Gauloise Disque Bleu" brand, with CEO Pierre Grimanelli proud of the new packaging that would, he argued, increase sales.

[5][6] The brand was also linked to high-status and inspirational figures representing the worlds of art (e.g. Pablo Picasso) and the intellectual elite (e.g. Jean-Paul Sartre,[7] Albert Camus and Jean Baudrillard[8]).

And by incorporating Gauloises packets he makes deft and condensed allusion to "French blue": to the Mediterranean and the palette of Matisse ... to the smoke coiling up in a Cubist assemblage.

In John le Carré's 1979 novel Smiley's People a key plot point involves the concealment of a microfilm in a packet of Gauloises, which are Vladimir's favourite.

John Frusciante, guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, smoked Gauloises, as noted in the book Scar Tissue by friend and bandmate Anthony Kiedis.

[citation needed] During his time at Marlborough College in the early 1960s English singer-songwriter Nick Drake would enjoy smoking Disque Bleu cigarettes with his friend Jeremy Mason, in the High Street of the town.

Four major tobacco companies have written to the government seeking clarification on the potential law, calling for an urgent meeting to discuss the details of the plan.

Consequently, brand management was assigned to Altadis, with joint French and Spanish ownership, and this company continued manufacture and international distribution until its acquisition by Imperial Tobacco.

On 30 October 2007 the Criminal Chamber of the French Supreme Court ruled against SEITA, accusing it of having signed a partnership agreement with the organisers of the 2000–2002 Francofolies Festivals for the use of visual brand elements of Gauloises Blondes.

[27] Gauloises is mainly sold in France, but also was or still is sold in Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, Ukraine, and United Arab Emirates.