When in Paris ..... Café life

If there is one Parisian experience that demands to be savoured, it is their café life. The first ever café in France opened in 1686, and it quickly became the place for the literati to congregate. Just think of all the politics discussed, ideas exchanged, art criticised and the love affairs formed in the cafes of Paris. In the 19th century a cafe was know as a zinc, named after its metal counter, and it became an integral part of the fabric of French life. When the boulevards widened, many a table spilled out onto the pavements. History shows that in 1920, Paris boasted 510 000 of these cafes.

I love the fact that you can sit just long enough to down your little shot of coffee or if you prefer, you can stay all day to just watch people pass by while you linger over a glass of wine.

Image credits: All photography by me