A Paris cafe "How To?"

You just sit where you like :)

Be aware there may be different prices for outside than inside and also for sitting at the bar.

I tend to take it on a case by case basis,, I tend to hesitate and look for waiter to catch his eye,, I will nod towards a table and they usually nod back to go for it,, if I wanted to sit inside I would be more likely to do this then if I wanted to sit outside. I don't think most cafes have hosts,, never see them anyways.

Mary, Another point to note is that in some cases, the Menu is outside on a "blackboard". I dined at one restaurant in the Rue Cler area where the Menu brought to the table was also on a "mini-blackboard" (the Waiter kindly held it up so I could get a photo of it). Bon Voyage!

I usually just find the table and have a seat. I do try to catch the eye of the server, more or less so he/she knows that I'm there and will need service at some point. In France, it can still take a while, but hey, you're in a Parisien cafe, so who cares! Right?

I've just spent a lot of time reading David Lebovitz's blog posts on Paris, including etiquette and recommendations. I highly recommend you check it out! davidlebovitz.com

I try to catch a waiter's eye, if possible, otherwise just pick a seat. Some of the tables may be set with tablecloths. If you're dining, pick one of those. If you just want a drink, pick a table sans cloth.

Great! Thank you all for your help!