Introduction: In France, smoking rates follow a social gradient that appears to emerge during adolescence and is partly linked to differences in perceptions of tobacco depending on individuals’ socioeconomic status. To test this hypothesis, we examined the relationship between the educational track young people follow and their perceptions of tobacco, as well as the age at which they first started smoking. Methods: The analyses are based on data from the national DePICT telephone survey, which recruited 2,050 adolescents aged 12 to 17 in metropolitan France in 2016. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine perceptions of tobacco: a) fear of the effects of tobacco; b) the perception of a “war” between smokers and nonsmokers; c) the social acceptability of smokers; d) the perception that smoking makes one feel more comfortable in a group; e) the perception of plain tobacco packaging introduced at the end of 2016. Multivariate survival regression models were used to analyze the relationship between educational track and age of smoking initiation. Results: after weighting and adjusting for factors potentially associated with smoking, compared to adolescents enrolled in general education, thosethose in technical or vocational education were, on average, less afraid of the consequences of smoking, reported less frequently that there was a conflict between smokers and nonsmokers, and felt that smoking made them feel at ease. They were more likely to hold a negative view of plain packaging and began smoking at an earlier age. Discussion: As early as adolescence, there is a social gradient regarding smoking, potentially mediated in part by more “positive” perceptions of tobacco. Tobacco prevention interventions should target perceptions related to tobacco, especially among students in technical and vocational education.