Friday, February 24, 2006

Starbucks in Paris? mais oui!

Well, it's true -- Starbucks has invaded Paris, opening its first store on 1/15/04! And not just one store -- 16 at last count, with more coming. So, why would anyone in their right mind want to a Starbucks when the streets of Paris are lined with cute cafes serving wonderful espresso, capuccino, and cafe Americano? What could possibly have led the Starbucks executives to think that a Starbucks in Paris would be successful? And what could possibly drive someone to select a cafe experience that felt so much like being back in the US?


Frankly, I didn't think I would set foot in a Starbucks in Paris - but alas, the pull was too strong to resist. As I stepped inside the Starbucks at 26 avenue de l'Opéra 75001 next to the Paris Opera, I was immediately greeted by the same wonderful aromas that I have come to associate with Starbucks. The coffee was strong and the decor and seating were very inviting. One particularly attractive item about Starbucks in Paris is that it feels like a place you just want to go and hang out!

Unlike most Paris cafes, at which you really don't feel welcome if you've finished your coffee and there are customers waiting, Starbucks in Paris has the feel of an up-scale urban coffee house. You want to bring a good book and just sink into the overstuffed chairs and hang out, especially on cold rainy days.

The menu is similar to what you would find in a Starbucks in the US, with latte, moka, macchiato, latte, cappuccino, americano and espresso. They also have Tazos teas and Frapuccino. Everything you might want to make you feel at home!



Current list of open stores is as follows:





1. Odeon
91 Boulevard Saint Germain
Paris PRS, 75006
France

2. Sebastopol
11, boulevard Sebastopol
Paris PRS, 75001
France

3. Beaubourg
4, Rue Aubry Le Boucher
Paris PRS, 75004
France

4. Archives
13, rue des Archives
Paris PRS, 75004
France

5. Poissonniere
7 boulevard Poissonniere
Paris PRS, 75002
France

6. Montmartre
18, boulevard Montmartre
Paris PRS, 75009
France

7. Rue de Seze
4, Rue de Seze
Paris PRS, 75008
France

8. Montparnasse
70, boulevard du Montparnasse
Paris PRS, 75006
France

9. Monge
118, rue Monge Paris
Paris PRS, 75005
France

10. St Antoine
29, Rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine
Paris PRS, 75011
France

11. St Lazare
108-110, Rue Saint Lazare
Paris PRS, 75009
France

12. Boetie
37, rue de la Boetie
Paris PRS,
France

13. General Leclerc
76, Avenue du Gal Leclerc
Paris PRS, 75014
France

14. Avenue de France
Avenue de France, 75013 Paris
Paris PRS,
France

15. Bercy Parc
Rue de l'Ambroisie
Paris PRS, 75012
France

16. Victor Hugo
90, avenue Victor Hugo
Paris PRS, 75116
France

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I wonder if you knew that the girl behind the counter in the 3rd photo is actually an English Canadian, from Ontario. She was working at Starbucks for 1 year to improve her French. She is now a French teacher in the public school system. She is my daughter, Julie.

11:04 AM  
Blogger Misopogon said...

On recent trips I've discovered that Starbucks in Paris have one big thing going for them: clean, free (for customers), American bathrooms. It's the kind of thing I never thought about when I was a single guy living in Paris, but since that relationship has changed to frequent visitor accompanied by my wife and our friends (all in various states of child-bearing/-rearing), knowing where to find a safe haven the second you exit the Catacombs has been a day-saver.

1:40 PM  

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