The best bars and cafés - France in 2024

Practical information : Take a break France

Timetable

In the villages the bars sometimes open very early in the morning, as early as 6am. Some bakeries also open their doors for an early breakfast. Bars are generally open non-stop from 9am to 8pm in the provinces, until midnight or later in the busiest areas of the big cities. Happy hours are practiced in cocktail bars, beer bars and some other bars from 6pm to 8pm, or even 9pm, during which the prices are reduced: 4 € for half a beer instead of 6 €, for example. The most popular bars are crowded at the opening and around 2pm for coffee, around noon and around 7pm for aperitifs.

Budget & Tips

If the prices are fixed for a black coffee at the counter, they are also free. A half beer on a terrace in Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris can cost up to 8 €, while at the counter of a village bar you will pay half that. Similarly, a sweet treat with a drink in a famous tea room can be prohibitively expensive, while some bars in the provinces allow you to buy a croissant at the nearby bakery to dip in your coffee, for a minimal bill.

Age restrictions

You should not consume or buy alcohol if you are under 18 years old in France. For nightclubs, you have to show your identity card.

What's very local

Aperitifs with charcuterie and/or cheese boards to be shared in wine bars or artisanal breweries are festive and convivial moments that more and more places in France offer.

Kids

Children are welcome in tea rooms, at least if they are well behaved, less so in wine bars. When an establishment has set aside an area with games and books for children, you can be sure that they are welcome and that family time will go well.

Smokers

Smoking is prohibited in France in all public spaces, including bars and tea rooms.

Tourist traps

The terraces of the bars in the most touristic places, in Paris, in the posh ski resorts or in mythical sites like Saint-Tropez practice really excessive prices.

The best bars and cafés France

AUX VIEUX PAVÉS

LE SWEENEY TODD'S

LE LUCIFER

CAFECITO

CURIEUX COFFEE SHOP

THE BICYCLE CLUB

ZOUMAÏ

COMME A LA MAISON

LA PART DES ANGES

SWING MARINE

LE JAX

CARNAVAL CAFÉ CLUB HOUSE

LE BAR M

BABETTE BEER HOUSE

LE SAINT REGIS BISTROT

LES GOURMANDS

LES GARAGISTES

LE PUB 17 DE L’ABBAYE CAFE-PUB-RESTAURANT

LE CEP & SPA HOLISTIQUE MARIE DE BOURGOGNE