French Coffee!

What is the difference between going to get a coffee in paris and just going to a Starbucks or a tim hortons, what is so special about it over there?

|||

1. the coffee at Starbucks and the coffee at cafes is not the same

2. the experience at Starbucks (similar to those %26#39;at home%26#39;) and that at a cafe are not the same

Paris was the %26#39;creator%26#39; of cafe life, where virtually everyone stops in a some point in the day, to have coffee or a beer, to read, to write, to visit with their friends, to people-watch or be seen. There are 1,000s of cafes, with different looks and personalities. Starbucks is... Starbucks. and is based on the notion of a Parisian cafe but is not the same, no more than is the Las Vegas %26quot;Eiffel%26quot; to the real thing.

|||

The coffee is entirely different too. In a good bar/brasserie/cafe, a properly made coffee (espresso) is smooth and delicious and not the harsh brew you get when you order an espresso at SB. The beans are roasted differently among other things. I was an instant convert when I moved here. I used to order espresso at SB in Seattle because I thought it was an acquired taste that I might acquire. Never did. Here, the coffee is heaven and I order a simple %26quot;cafe%26quot; and nothing else.

|||

I agree w/ the above posts. It%26#39;s so hard to put into words. If you have ever had a good cafe au lait or cafe creme at a Parisian cafe, the difference is pretty marked.

And it%26#39;s an entire experience. Not just drinking out of a paper cup while driving 50 mph.

Les

|||

Do you realise what you%26#39;ve started?! This debate resurfaces every so often here, coffee in Paris is just... perfect almost everywhere you have it. Starbucks is, well what do you expect from a chain of look-a-like cafes the world over who instead of concetrating on serving good coffee dream up weird and wonderful flavours. Then to make matters worse let you buy it in a cardboard cup to drink whilst walk down the street!

Once you have been to Paris, you will wonder why on earth you asked the question!!

|||

Paris is famous for it%26#39;s cafe culture however I%26#39;ve actually stopped drinking the coffee out as it%26#39;s getting so bad (and no before anyone starts I don%26#39;t like Starbucks either!). Perhaps I am a coffee snob. Americans seem to like the coffee here so it%26#39;s maybe a cultural difference. I think Americans generally like their coffee weaker (as in Starbucks). When I am really desperate for a coffee I will have a Starbucks double shot (and still find that weak)

Cafe culture here means buying one drink and sitting for hours chatting. That%26#39;s great (but the coffee is NOT!)

A recent article in The Sunday Times (well respected English newspaper) asked what the French could do to tempt people back to their cafes. The answers, I quote...%26quot;buy better quality coffee and clean the toilets.%26quot; (There were other answers but I thought these were the most pertinent).

|||

Wow coughee, what WILL you drink?

|||

I like Australian wine!

|||

Cough, cough ...

The final paragraph is a cut and paste from a post last March - when was this %26#39;recent Sunday Times article%26#39;? The quote mentioned isn%26#39;t on the paper%26#39;s website.

|||

Hey everyone thank you so much for replying! any information is greatly appreciated

|||

Hey everyone thank you so much for replying! any information is greatly appreciated