Suze - How on earth did I miss that caffeinated water in Germany last week? I've been searching for it here at home forever. Had it years ago when we lived in SoCal. I love that stuff!! Wonder how much to ship it to my home......

Starbucks is in Paris??? I seem to go to Starbucks every day, but somehow, it just wouldn't seem right in Paris...it's just not quite what I pictured...

Actually, espresso has less caffeine per serving than regular coffee (because the servings are smaller), but more caffeine per ounce. Here's the explanation from one source:

Is it true that espresso has less caffeine than regular coffee?
Yes and no. An espresso cup has about as much caffeine as a cup of dark brew. But servings for espresso are much smaller. Which means that the content of caffeine per milliliter are much higher than with a regular brew. Moreover, caffeine is more quickly assimilated when taken in concentrated dosages, such as an espresso cup.

The myth of lower caffeine espresso comes comes from the fact that the darker roast beans used for espresso do have less caffeine than regularly roasted beans as roasting is supposed to break up or sublimate the caffeine in the beans. But espresso is prepared using pressurized water through significantly more ground than regular drip coffee, resulting in a higher percentage of caffeine per milliliter.

Here's the caffeine content of Drip/Espresso/Brewed Coffee:

Drip 115-175
Espresso 100 1 serving (1-2oz)
Brewed 80-135

kerouac: tch, tch.... why use the "i' word to describe someone? It's so crude! Wonder where you are from!?

Anyway, sillylolo: it's almost impossible to buy decaf cokes in fRAnce, in fact don't think there are any. Even the "Lite Coke" are all caffeinated. Most all the coffee has caffeine....and when one asked for decaf in hotels, it is usually NOT brewed, but the dry Nescafe made with hot water.
Starbucks in Paris is beautiful,and fun, and I'm not even a coffee drinker. It's VERY popular with the FRench, and has a cafe with good sandwiches etc....I understand.

I'll NEVER forget my first caffeine rush in Paris. 1994, staying at the Intercontinental on rue Castiglione. We arrived, tremendously jetlagged, before check-in time. We dropped off our luggage, walked aound the corner, stepped into a cafe for our first espresso. I could feel the caffeine coursing through my veins! I'll never forget it!

Ira, just saw your post, LOL. It is true! Even though you were being funny. Italian friends of mine are like the walking dead in the morning - then they stand at the bar and have their espresso and WHAM, they are awake and don't stop talking, walking and thinking for hours! About late afternoon they are dragging, they have another espresso and WHAM, they are ready to go again for hours! Go, go, go until they sit down to have their wine before their 9:00pm dinner.

Good description Ira!

mari5:

<<: it's almost impossible to buy decaf cokes in fRAnce, in fact don't think there are any>>

Not true... they sell no caffeine diet Coke in almost every grocery store. I can even get it in my little village store here in Provence. IF I wanted to.

I didn't read all the posts but with regard to caffeine and espresso--it is the length of time that the water stays in contact with the coffee that may make an espresso have less caffeine. I would not recommend it to a heart patient who is supposed to not have caffeine, however.
And if you order a coke or coke lite in a cafe or restaurant, be prepared for major sticker shock.

mari5, the French have learned to brew a very good decaf. Unfortunately, though I love coffee, I am limited to decaf. I have been really pleased over the past 5 or 6 years to see that all cafes and most restaurants have started to serve brewed decaf espresso and cafe au lait. And, though I love Starbucks, decaf at most cafes is much better.

PB Provence.....Sorry, guess I'm just looking in the wrong places. We always drive a car and stop at supermarkets in cites and towns...(one of the fun parts of a European trip). Last Fall in central France and the French Alps we couldn't find the decaf Coke. Will pursue it next time.'Just last month however in Germany, Austria, N. Italy ....the same story, but Coke Lite with Caffeine won't kill us for a couple of weeks. And in our lovely hotels we drew a blank stare often about decaf coffee.
(we asked for hot water and husband takes his own Taster's Choice and I take my decaf tea bag. They don't care at all.

mamc: yes, I guess he did get some pretty good brewed decaf coffee in FRANCE last Fall.

But the bottom line to the original questin by sillylolo is that there is plenty of caffeine in FRANCE.

Cybertraveler ... the Starbucks was between a McDonalds & a Hard Rock Cafe, so we should have known better, but it was our first morning in Paris and we quickly adjusted to a local sport for morning coffee ... Z

I will continue to insist that any café in France will serve decaf if you ask for "déca".
And in any supermarket you will find both Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola light "sans caféine" next to the normal versions.

Just got back from France 2 nights ago, and we ordered "deca" in little cafes and larger restaurants in both Normandy and Paris, and no problems.

"....exhilarated, enthusiastic, tireless.
Now I find out it was just the coffee..."
<i> LOL! elaine , you put it so perfectly! Especially since most of the flights arrive early in the morning after a sleepless flight..what better than downing a cup of coffee full of caffeine..ahhh ~

kerouac, I don't think you have to &quot;continue to insist&quot;... they agree!</i>