Order a coffee at a Paris counter and you may pay one price; carry it to a terrace table and you can pay noticeably more for the exact same cup. This is not a tourist trap but a system written into French law: café menus are required to display their tariffs, and prices legitimately differ by where you sit — au comptoir (at the bar), en salle (in the room), or en terrasse (outside). Understanding that single distinction unlocks most of what puzzles visitors about French café culture. This is Guide № 005 in The Love France Guide series.
In this guide
- Why the Café Became a French Institution
- The Three Prices: Comptoir, Salle, Terrasse
- How to Order Coffee Like a Local
- Bistro, Brasserie, Café: What the Words Mean
- Tipping, Timing, and Table Manners
- Myths Worth Retiring
- Frequently Asked Questions
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