What are your favorite cafés in Paris?
 

What are your favorite cafés in Paris? My husband and I love people watching at Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots on Boulevard Saint Germain, but they are a little pricey. Also, on my list of favorites are Les Editeurs, at 4 carrefour Odéon in the 6th arrondissement, http://www.lesediteurs.fr/ and La Carette, at 4 place du Trocadéro in the 16th arrondissement. I remember the first time we went to La Carette... it was a sunny day, and a jazz combo was playing as we drank pots of tea and ate pain chocolat. Perfect :-)

Sandy

Our favorite is Cafe Bonaparte on the Place d'Iglise de St Germaine de Pres, just to the side of Les Deux Magots. It is a wonderful place to people watch and has adorable waiters! There is an elementary school in the next block and it is so sweet to watch the little boys and girls in their uniforms going to school while we relax over breakfast.

Another vote for the friendly Cafe Napolean. That's also where we were first entertained by the daily appearance of that funny street performer dressed as a safari hunter riding a motorcycle and doing things with "audience" members. But he seems to have moved on to Rue Buci almost exclusively.

For pure people watching it's also hard to beat the very busy place right at the corner by the bridge at Place St. Michel. There is always something pretty dramatic going on there.

My flat is on St. Germaine right between Rue Buci and Rue Seine. There is a tiny little cafe right next to our front door where I started going for my first cup of coffee each morning. The same group of locals were meeting there every day, but I felt very welcomed. The second day there, they were all signing a French "get well" card for some other regular. They had me sign it too. I felt so honored.

My favorite place to people watch in a quiet area of Paris is Place Du Marche St. Cataherine just off Rue Necker(Marais). This is just a wonderful neighborhood square and in the evenings you can really soak in some local flavor. Le Marche St. Catherine and Au Bistro De La Place are several places to set and eat or have a drink.

mamc,
I will have to add the Café Bonaparte to my list. Don't know why we have never stopped there. We've walked by it so many times...it's the one with the red and blue awning, isn't it? We've never eaten at the Café de la Mairie at 8, Place Saint Sulpice, but we did go there for a Kronenburg. It was a couple of euro less than at Les Deux Magots, and Place Saint Sulpice is beautiful at night!


Sandy

Patrick,
I can picture the place you're talking about, but I can't remember the name of it :-)

Sandy

Two other good people watching spots are Café de la Mairie on Place St. Sulpice and Ma Bourgogne on Place des Vosges, but only if there is terrace seating available.

Patrick,
How neat to be asked to sign the get-well card :-)

Sandy

aj,
We walked through the Place Du Marche Sainte Catherine last year. Next time, we will have to stop.

Sandy

Laidback,
That has been our problem with Ma Bourgogne... never a place to sit on the terrace. It would be nice to sit there and look at Place des Vosges.

Sandy

Arguably the best cafe food has to be at Cafe Constant, in the 7th on rue St. Dominique. The secret is that chef Constant prepares many of the dishes in his one star restaurant just down the street. He visits the cafe often; I suspect it is his favorite spot to "decompress". JP

Cafe Mabillon on St. Germain/Buci. Good mix of students, professionals and tourists. But now that we've just rented Patrick's apartment (thanks for the great lead) we'll have to check out his cafe as well. Sandy, thanks for the great post!

Oakglen,

You will get no argument from me. The rapport qualité/prix is terrific.

Here's a good site to check out cafés in Paris:

http://www.paris-zoom.com/planbleu.asp

Sandy

Hey, mvor, let me know what you think. When are you going?
Cafe Mabillon is nice, but mainly at night. And it is also practically right next door.

By the way, the owner of the apartment emailed me asking if we're returning next year as it is rapidly filling up and he wanted to give me first shot -- but we're not. Guess I've been promoting it too much. He said it's only been vacant for a couple short breaks this whole year.

mvor,
You're very welcome :-) Glad you got a lead to an apartment!

Sandy

Mamc and Patrick, is this the Café Napoléon Bonaparte you are talking about?

http://www.robertamos.com/paris/paris.html

Hi Patrick. We're going at Thanksgiving and for the first week in July (we wanted the last week in June but it's already booked). I'll be sure to let you know how we make out. May I ask why you're not returning? I actually thought it might be you who had secured the last two weeks in June.

Even although Mabillon is so close, we love to go there for drinks before dinner or on our trek home to the Artus. I guess we're just creatures of habit.

We're looking forward to seeing what apartment life is like so thanks again for sharing.

Maureen

Kappa, I think it is the same Cafe Bonaparte. The awning is the same red and blue stripe. I have never noticed the Dior shop across the street.

Our favorite place in Paris, where we always go, is Cafe Scossa on the Place Victor Hugo. A great place to people watch the BCBGs doing their thing in a beautiful upscale neighborhood off the tourist track. It used to be a conventional old-fashioned cafe, but was remodeled into an ultra modern spot last year. Always busy, fun vibe and a real surprise for those who think the 16th is staid and boring. The food is good, too, but it's French-Asian fusion, not traditional French.
Other favorites include the Esplanade cafe in the 7th on the Esplanade des Invalides and Bar aux Theatres in the 8th on the Ave. Montaigne, just across and down the street from the Plaza Athenee. Excellent place for typical bistro food and lively, friendly service.