Beyond the Postcard

While this book celebrates the romantic image of Parisian terraces and rain-slicked cobblestones, it also reveals the contemporary reality of French café culture. We'll meet the new generation of coffee entrepreneurs bringing third-wave coffee culture to France while respecting tradition. We'll explore how neighborhood cafés serve as vital community anchors for elderly residents and integration points for new immigrants.

You'll learn about the economic pressures threatening traditional cafés and the innovative approaches keeping them alive. From Marseille's multicultural café scene where North African tea culture meets French coffee tradition, to the village cafés that double as post offices and community centers, we'll paint a complete picture of café culture across all of France.