Alyssa Jones is a student at The Ohio State University and an ISA Photo Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Paris, France.
Walking through Paris, you are sure to pass dozens of cafés so it can be hard to know where to start! While I don’t think you can really go wrong in Paris, it can be tricky to find cafés tailored to students. If you are a student abroad, these are the cafés for you!
Best Café to Study:
Costa Coffee
Boulevard de Sébastopol, 75001 Paris (1st arrondissement)
Boulevard Saint-Michel, 75006 Paris (6th arrondissement)
A great spot to study is Costa Coffee, a British chain similar to Starbucks. Here you can find typical café drinks as well as a mocha variety. They are found all over Paris, but my favorite two locations are the ones mentioned above. The cafés are usually pretty spacious, so you can be sure to find a seat or a table. The prices are pretty reasonable, you can expect to pay 3-5 euros.
Best Café to get a Cheap Drink:
Cafétéria Mabillon
3 rue Mabillon 75006 Paris (6th arrondissement)
Cafétéria Mabillon is in fact both a cafeteria and a café! The café is found on the ground floor, while the 3 floors above are restaurants. In France, the government subsidizes student meals, therefore there are university restaurants, like Cafétéria Mabillon. Here, a student can buy a lunch or a coffee for a relatively low price. If you are not looking for a full meal, you can get a coffee or tea for less than a euro at the café on the ground floor.
Best Café to learn French:
Le Denfert Café
58 boulevard Saint-Jacques 75014 Paris (14th arrondissement)
Le Denfert Café isn’t your typical cafe. In lieu of drinks, it’s more well known for its social events. This café hosts the Polyglot club which sets up language exchanges every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights. It is free to participate, the only obligation is that you buy a drink. Once entering, you receive a name tag on which you state which languages you’d like to practice. These socials are a great way to meet real Parisians and learn some French slang.
Café with Best Coffee:
Strada Café
24 Rue Monge, 75005 Paris (5th arrondissement)
94 Rue du Temple, 75003 Paris (3rd arrondissement)
If you’re looking for a quality cup of coffee, Strada Café is the place to go! They have two locations in Paris, one on Rue Monge and the other on Rue du Temple. The café is rather cozy with a pretty chill vibe and the workers are all super nice. I recommend going during the week, as it can get crowded on the weekends. It’s a great place to study or catch up with friends or just enjoy a nice cup of coffee in Paris. Except to pay 3-5 euros.
Best Café to Relax:
Chat Mallows Cafe
30, rue des Volontaires 75015 Paris (15th arrondissement)
The best café to relax is awarded to Chat Mallows Café. This café is home to about 15 cats who stroll freely throughout. It’s a welcome break from the typical café experience as you are free to watch, pet, or play with the cats! Make sure you make a reservation first (this can be done on their website)! The drinks are a bit pricey to cover the costs of upkeep so except to pay 6-8 euros.
The world awaits…discover it.