French bistro chairs

Ted. After a week in Bordeaux, it was time to move on so we took a train to Paris for a two day visit. Before we talk about our adventures there, I have a silly topic that I want to bring up.

If you have ever been to France, you have probably enjoyed sitting at a sidewalk café enjoying a coffee or glass of wine while you watch the world go by. If you have not been there yet, you know what I am talking about from all the films or TV shows that you have seen. 

I’ll also bet that you know what all cafés, bistros and brasseries have in common; the French bistro chair!

It is nearly always rattan, although some cheap owners have switched to metal and wood. 

Or even plastic. 

In Paris, Bordeaux and all French towns and cities you can find these chairs by the thousands. What amazes me is that they are like snowflakes. No two establishments seem to have the same ones. Is that to encourage creativity? Or to discourage theft? While strolling the streets recently, I took it upon myself to photograph a number of them. I won’t bore you with all of the shots I took but will share just a few examples so you can get an idea of the range of styles, patterns and colors. 

Since 1885, the iconic manufacturer of these chairs has been Maison Louis Drucker. So, if you crave a little bit of Paris on your own terrace, you can check out their website at maisonlouisdrucker.com/en. As the world continues to homogenize and we see McDonald’s and Starbucks wherever we roam, it is nice to be able to look at a simple chair and be reminded; ah yes, this is France!