Paris and Surrounding Area

By Ray Chatelin

Photo by Toshi

The essence of Paris is not in its monuments, nor in its music, its fashion houses near the Champ Elysee, in the great masterpieces of the Louvre, or even in the graceful flow and ebb on the Roland Garros Stadium courts during the French Open Tennis tournament in June.

Nice as these places are, the real action in Paris is found in the mix of humanity that frequent the countless outdoor cafes. If you can understand Paris cafes in the spring, summer and fall then everything about the city begins to make sense.

For, you see, Paris outdoor restaurants are for lovers. The French know that. They always have and have never tried to hide the fact.

Pick any single Paris cafe - morning, noon, or in the evening - and at every table there's a story unfolding. Sit and watch and it's like chapters in gothic novels come to life.

You can easily pick out the types - lovers meeting, lovers separating, the lonely, the poets, the artists, students, businessmen trying to find relief from sales projections.

You don't eat at a sidewalk cafe to conduct business. The French know this. So do the Italians and Greeks. The British don't quite understand this nor do the Japanese, the Swedes or the Germans. The French, Italians and Greeks know that sunshine melts the brain, and that while fresh air and wine stimulate many appetites, they do nothing for business.

In Paris and in surrounding villages and towns, the streets are lined with cafes competing for the attention of lovers, tourists, secretaries who go there to watch and be watched in turn.

It's an art form in which messages abound without a word ever spoken. The language is clear, the messages are unmistakable. A subtle glance, an understated nod, coquettish glimpse from salad to woman or man to wine and then a sip from the glass.

Even when it amounts to nothing, reaction is everything. A smile may acknowledge approval or it might say, "Sorry, I'm taken, but it would have been nice." A frown may be a rejection, or a sign of disappointment. A kiss on the cheek may mean commitment or it might be signal that this is only friendship.

It’s all part of the French mystique and their historical love of intrigue. Go to the great palaces of Versailles, Chantilly, or Fontainebleau outside Paris and among the glitter of jewels, mirrors and ornate furnishings are wonderful stories about love and betrayal.

It's also a major ingredient of Parisian style and it's this skill of form that separates the French from other Europeans. In Greece, the style is group showmanship; in Italy it's individual flamboyancy. In France, it’s subtlety.

In North America, eating alone is a suggested admission of failure and most singles bury their faces in books and magazines while they eat. In Paris being alone is often an advantage, allowing you to watch the action and take in the essence of the city and the culture.

If you’re not alone, all the better. You can play. If by yourself, how much easier it is to watch others play the game of cafe-language, and to pick up a language that isn’t even spoken.