Paris Terraces for Parisians
Parisians love few things more than gawking at each other from the relative safety of a café table. But long gone are the days (seriously) when it was cool to hang out at the Flore or Deux Magots. Today's choice terraces are bit dingier, a lot cheaper, and don't have any tourists or toy dogs muddling the view. Here are a few picks for where to find your summer frisson.
La Palette
26, Rue de Seine
75006 6ème Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
While the trendy café scene has for the most part migrated away from Saint-Germain-des-Près, a few gems still remain. La Palette, with its intimate terrace, is …
one of them. Popular with expats and locals alike, it's been hailed by one of our correspondents as a prime Parisian pick-up joint. [link]
La Fourmi
74, Rue Martyrs 75018 Paris, France 01 42 64 70 35
La Fourmi (the ant) consistently hosts about a 3:1 ratio of single men to women. We're not sure why, but we're sure not complaining. Steps away from La Cigale (the … grasshopper) and the Divan du Monde, La Fourmi is the perfect pre-concert bullpen. [link]
Point Éphémère
Quai de Valmy
75010 10ème Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
Everyone's new favorite toy -- there are so many reasons to visit the Point Éphémère. In addition to concerts, DJ nights, art expos, dance classes and what not, the … FMR has a really excellent terrace. The scene on summer nights swells well beyond the bounds of the terrace and those eating their cheap and nothing-special food. The artfully distressed are splayed all up and down the banks of the Canal, sipping their overpriced blanche beers from plastic pint glasses. [link]
Le Soleil
67, Quai de Valmy
75010 10ème Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
Further along the boulevard and in the same vicinity as Chéri(e) is our perennial standby Le Soleil. Its enormous terrace is packed every summer thanks to guaranteed sun … and the cheap demis. The lack of effusiveness from the ever-present pair of brothers is more than compensated for by speed of service and their tolerance of takeout kebabs. [link]
Café Chéri(e)
44, Boulevard de la Villette
75019 19ème Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
This place is perfect for those looking for pretty faces without the all-encompassing fashion vibe of La Perle. On a nondescript boulevard between Belleville and Colonel … Fabien, the Café Chéri(e) has cheap drinks and genuinely nice servers who pad the belly during happy hour with trays of free snacks. Daytime hours are popular with Web 2.0 types playing laptop jockey in their alternate "office." [link]
La Perle
9, Rue de la Perle
75003 3ème Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
Known for being a Facehunter haunt, La Perle draws the kind of crowd that likes to be photographed. But despite the super-trendy spirit, La Perle remains the sort of … joint where you can rip off the hat of your neighbor and prance around after too many vodka tonics. Or so we've heard. [link]
