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The Paris cafe culture is second to none. Did you even go to Paris if you didn’t sit outside a cafe, with a beverage chatting with a friend or solo but enjoying some quiet time and indulging in the fun past-time that is people watching? Whether you choose to sit outside or inside, as long as you’re in a cafe, you’re surely being like a chic Parisian.
For me, a cafe represents a good work-life balance and a chance to relax and take a breath. My choice would be a cafe creme/cafe au lait and a croissant with a copy of Le monde newspaper or Vogue Magazine.
Or you could cosy up with a good by one of the French Literary Greats; maybe fiction like Victor Hugo or Alexandre Dumas or existentialist musings a la Jean-Paul Sarte or Simone de Beauvoir. If you’ve got a good grasp of the language, you can read in french or simply settle for an English translation like us linguistically limited people. Or you could just simply watch the world go by in a silent meditative state but a cafe is always a good idea.
Here are some of my favourites in Paris:
1) La Fontaine de Belleville
Need some peace and quiet? Then look no further than this cafe.
Address: 31-33 Rue Juliette Dodu, 10th
Phone: +33 1 42 85 79 37
2) KB Café Shop
This café is on the other end of the spectrum from the class cafes. Despite this, it sets itself apart from the quality of its coffee and menu offered. Their coffee beans are imported and roasted from places like Ethiopia, Indonesia and Columbia.
Address: 62 Rue des Martyrs, 18th
Phone: +33 1 56 92 12 41
3) Café De Flore
A legendary café that is remembered as the home of some of France’s literary greats. Even years after its great heyday in the 1940s to 1950s, it is still a force to be reckoned with, The food and coffee served here are a tourist magnet albeit with a hefty price tag attached.
Address: 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris, France
Phone: +33 1 45 48 55 26
4) Les Deux Magots
Yet another legendary hotspot and rival to Café de Flore. This café was also frequented by literary greats as well and even has its own special literary prize. Besides the literary aspect, the food served here is another attraction.
Address: 6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés, 75006 Paris, France
Phone: +33 (0)1 45 48 55 25
5) Le Select
Yet another historical landmark and haven for literary greats like Ernest Hemingway. It is a combination of a café and brasserie so, besides the typical café fanfare, you would also find meals like escargot, omelettes, steak fries etc.
Address: 99 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 75006 Paris, France
Phone: +33 1 45 48 38 24
