Paris is known for many things. But one of the best cultural experiences you can have is sitting outside a café and watching people go by.
The cafés of Paris are synonymous with intellectual discussion and debate, sources of creativity, a relaxed environment where the waiter isn’t hurrying you along because you ordered a coffee two hours ago and are still sitting there.
In the US, I feel that we are always in a hurry. People meet for coffee, of course, but there always seems to be a deadline looming somewhere. A giant invisible clock ticking. We don’t take our time to enjoy.
France, and Paris specifically, feels different. You can plop yourself down at a table outside a café, wait for the waiter to come along (pro tip: you don’t need to ask if you can sit outside), order your drink, and stay there for hours.
In French, these outdoor seating areas are commonly known as a terrasse.
Some of the famous ones from years past include Café de la Paix, La Procope, Les Deux Magots, La Coupole, Le Select, Café de Flore, La Rotonde. Some of them have been operational since the 19th century. (The Procope has been around since the 17th century!)
These cafés used to be the heart of activity for intellectuals, artists, and writers. They were like a second living room for people. All of society would be spilling out onto the sidewalk at tables and chairs that were packed together.
In doing a little research for this writeup, I discovered that restaurants have to apply to the city to have a terrasse in front of their establishment. Factors that are considered are ambiance, accessibility, cleanliness. I also discovered that the arrondisement with the most terrasses is the 15th, which is south of the Eiffel Tower, though not that close to it.
I read Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast about his early days in Paris. He described going to cafés often with his notebook and pencil to do some writing. Or he’d make a plan to meet a friend to catch up and have some drinks. Among his generation of cafe-hoppers were Pablo Picasso, Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dali, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Unfortunately, a lot of the old charm of these great places has given way to a terribly touristy clientele. I can pretty much count on entering one of the cafés listed above, even greeting the waiter with a proper bonjour, and being handed an English menu. Wah wah.
When I first arrived in Paris in early 2022, once a week my French class was in a building on Boulevard St. Germain, near the Deux Magots. One day, a classmate of mine, a lovely guy from Japan, joined me for a coffee inside. It was pretty touristy, but I loved seeing the black-jacketed, bow-tied waiters with a white apron around their waists like a skirt. I had to pinch myself that I was really living in Paris and this wasn’t just a brief visit.
Since then, I’ve steered clear of the big-name old-school cafés because, as I say, I’ll just be treated like a tourist and I don’t want that! Though I will say the terrasses in those places are still as lively as ever, just not the way they used to be.
When I return to Paris in April, this time I’ll be staying in Montparnasse. It’s further south, and it’s one of the neighborhoods where a lot of old cafés stand strong. I’m looking forward to exploring my new neighborhood and finding ‘my’ café. There is nothing like being recognized by a waiter or shopkeeper in Paris to bring me joy.
I love Cafe de La Paix - was 9 the first time I was there . My mom took us . I think I had three parfaits ! I go there whenever I’m in Paris
Thanks for this.