Amazing Vintage Photographs Capture Café Life in Paris in the 1940s

The words of the 1940 hit by Oscar Hammerstein, composed by Jerome Kern, still ring true today. The cafés of Paris are central to what makes the city so special and dear to the hearts of millions, what causes people to miss Paris when they’re not there, and makes them want to stay there longer when they are.

It’s not one café or a few cafés. As the song says, it’s every street café. There are cafés everywhere. They seem to conspire together to create an atmosphere not to be found anywhere else. You walk into a café in Paris and sit down and become part of a way of life. There is a feeling of quiet conviviality and enjoyment that comes from being around and about in a wonderful city, sharing an environment with likeminded people – being part of Parisian life. If you have been to Paris or if you live there, you will have experienced this. If you haven’t yet, it is definitely something to look forward to.

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Topics: life & culture people 1940s street restaurant & store old fr Paris