One of the best ways to experience the allure of Paris is obviously to indulge in the café scene. I would be interested in anyone else's best moments in Parisian cafes - where were you, when were you there, what made it special? For my wife and I it was Café St. Regis on Isle St. Louis for dinner on a cool June evening after a long day of traveling, a day where we woke up in Amsterdam, had lunch in Brussels, and finished with a late dinner at this lovely, bustling café in the heart of Paris. It was our first night together in Paris, and we felt like we were in a live action Toulouse-Lautrec painting. Anyone care to share their magical café moments from Paris? I hope so - I love reading about these kinds of experiences! Steve
Posted by
Fort Wayne, IN, USA
2349 posts
At a worn marble table, a little jet lagged, I wondered if we looked like this Degas painting:
Later that week we had fun sitting outside on a warm Halloween night, watching some adult revelers in zombie costumes, and some young kids dressed up for trick or treat. No, not as many as there would have been here, but enough to make it interesting.
Posted by
Vacaville, Ca
1441 posts
Oct 2014 - Just finished my time on the Arc de Triomphe and walking down the Champs-Elysées when it started to rain. I happen to be in front of the Restaurant Le Fouquet's Paris and there was 1 table open in their outside covered seating area. I zipped in and snagged it. The outside heaters worked so well, I had to take my jacket off because of the warmth. I had a small chocolate cake w/ganache & a Port and just watched the world go by while it rained.
Cafe Panis: I ended a couple of nights here at an inside table w/the view of Notre Dame. Usually enjoying a late night dessert or a drink. Will be doing this again in a few weeks.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3398 posts
A Sunday afternoon...POURING rain on some little street in St. Germain.
Nothing to do but sit in a cafe and enjoy a snack and a drink!
My husband, son, and I sat down and ordered. There was no one else there except for a well-dressed woman and her little dog. My son, who was 7 at the time and loved dogs, asked if he could pet the dog. She lit up and told him it would be fine! We sat and talked to her for several hours. She told us that she was going to her family's summer house in Brittany for the weekend and that we should call her and stop by for an afternoon drink since we were planning to be up that way as well. Knowing that in the French culture, any culture really, this is quite unusual, we hardly knew what to say!
I'm sorry to say that we didn't take her up on it but now, when anyone says to me that the French are cold and unfriendly, I tell this story.
Posted by
northern CA
2766 posts
In the Place Cambronne, on the edge of the 15th arr. where about 8 surface streets converge underneath the tracks of Metro line 8, I sat and watched bicycle commuters in business attire using the Velib' racks while I was enjoying the plat du jour of rabbit over pasta with a glass of rose.
Several cafes and produce stands are all within sight of each other around this oddly shaped bustling square, competing for the euros of the aspirational young families that strive to live in the neighborhood. Yuppies, but tasteful native French speaking yuppies! Window shopping features designer furniture and home decor. The Champ du Mars and Champs Elysee are a world away, thank heavens, but you can be there if necessary in 10 minutes with one transfer.