Paris café culture is taking over the cobbles

It’s a warm, sunny evening in Montmartre and, all along the main street, tables and chairs extend as far as the eye can see. Perched across the cobbles, locals chat animatedly, sipping a glass of chilled rosé or enjoying an al-fresco dinner. Surrounding them are repurposed wooden pallets, painted in bright colours and finished off with flowering pot plants and the occasional string of lights. 

Following Paris’s strict lockdown, the city has undergone something of a transformation this summer. In a bid to give businesses a much-needed boost, cafés, bars and bistros can now spread out onto the sidewalks, along the parking spaces in front and even beyond. And the Parisians have been very creative in reimagining these outdoor spaces, giving the city a festive, almost Mediterranean feel. 

But they’re not just pretty to look at. With many traditional cafés and bistros struggling even before lockdown due to factors such as gentrification and civil unrest, some owners are hoping this development could save their businesses.

Al Caratello, a traditional Italian restaurant in Montmartre, has been able to expand almost the full length of the small side street where it stands, and the team has really pulled out all the stops. Adorning the temporary terrace are smart new parasols, trailing greenery and huge pots of hydrangeas. Local students also helped paint the wooden hoardings.    

“The expansion of the terraces is a great initiative by the city of Paris that will really help restaurateurs,” says manager Jacopo Pesce. “It’s also had the added effect of making Paris even more beautiful. 

“In our case, we decided to go for a ‘natural’ scheme with plenty of plants and lots of green. We thought it would appeal to diners while also being good for the neighbourhood. So far, it has proved very popular.

“Also, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, visited our restaurant and told us it would be a very good idea if the terraces could become permanent. If this happened, we’d be delighted.” 

As things stand, these temporary terraces (or “terrasses éphémères” as they are known) are allowed to remain until the end of September. However, many people hope they are here to stay – especially as they segue so perfectly with the long-term goals for a greener city. As well as installing around 50km of cycle lanes this summer, the mayor has also banned cars on the iconic rue de Rivoli – and there are plans to pedestrianise some areas completely.   

That said, there have been a few hurdles to overcome. On some of the narrower Parisian pavements, these impromptu patios can feel a bit like an obstacle course for pedestrians – especially for parents with pushchairs. Then, of course, there’s the weather. During lockdown, locals gazed longingly at consistent sunshine and crystal blue skies – only for things to turn stormy almost as soon as the restrictions loosened. 

“It rained almost every day when we first reopened,” says Xavier Denamur, who owns five popular cafés in the heart of the Marais. “On the other hand, it can also be very hot. This week, it was over 30C, so it was difficult for our staff wearing masks and gloves.

“Then there’s the issue of noise. At the beginning, municipal authorities said we had to close the outdoor areas at 10pm. But, as I said to them, Paris is not the countryside – we are an international capital city! People don’t finish work until 7 or 8pm and come out after 9pm. Eventually, they agreed we could open until 2am here”. 

“We’ll get through this latest crisis”, he adds. “But some small businesses simply won’t survive. More support is definitely needed.”

Even before the pandemic, many of the independents were already having a hard time, with establishments closing at a dramatic rate. According to some estimates, the number of traditional cafés in the French capital has dwindled from more than 40,000 in the late 1800s to around just 7,000 today.

As well as rising rents and high taxes, unchecked gentrification has been a factor. Then came the recent transport strikes, which brought the capital to a virtual standstill, and the ongoing ‘Gilets Jaunes’ protests. 

Now, not only are independent eateries still recovering from the lockdown, but they are also having to deal with social-distancing measures. Not to mention that the lack of tourists this year is cruelly felt by businesses. For the time-being at least, Paris is the exclusive preserve of its residents. 

“Parisian cafés have been especially hard hit by the three-month shutdown,” says Lisa Anselmo, founder of the community project Save the Paris Café, which was launched long before the pandemic. “Having expanded terrace space helps café-owners, providing the weather cooperates. But many say it’s not enough to make up for the shortfall”. 

“Terraces have created a festive, convivial atmosphere in our neighbourhoods” she says. “So, if the city can find a way to make this practical in the post-Covid phase, it could improve the overall quality of life for Parisians and increase profits for struggling cafés. Why not make this part of the plan for a greener, more pedestrianised city?”

Parisians are making the most of their newfound freedom by enjoying extended terraces at every opportunity. After one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe, there’s a sense of euphoria – and a clear feeling that it’s time to party. 

Meanwhile, restaurant-owners continue to add to these spaces all the time, meaning there’s often something new to see. Attracting customers has never been more important – and, in some cases, this permission to expand outwards may save their businesses.

“Although it’s been a challenging time, it has really helped bring us all together,” says Craig Carlson, the owner of American-style diner Breakfast in America. “Here in the Marais, small-business owners got together to send a petition to the city authorities, asking that our street be pedestrianised for the summer. 

He’d like the entire neighbourhood to be transformed into a pedestrian zone. The Marais is full of ancient, narrow streets and it feels almost like a village. “This would help cafés, restaurants and other business-owners to recover from the crippling lockdown. It could determine whether many of us can continue to stay open or not.”

Like many cities across Europe, Paris has seen a renewed appreciation for cleaner air, clearer skies and a slower, quieter pace since the lockdown. What lies ahead may be uncertain, but for now, the city’s residents are making the most of a seemingly festival feeling.