The French cafe epitomises the French art of living. Through its timeless glass doors float the aromas of strong coffee & black-tobacco, hot milk & fresh croissants. The cafe, open early until late, is both focus & microcosm of society. Friends talk; lovers linger; the white saucers pile up as the world goes by; a lone customer comes in to read the newspapers or for a petit verre at the bar. The French cafe is a refuge, a place to meet, to sit inside or out, somewhere to see & be seen. For anyone interested in French life & culture, here is a an intimate look at a great institution, from the grand establishments dating from the all rural bistro from the workers` local cafes to the legendary Parisian cafes where the poets, painters & philosophers gathered. From Directoire decoration to Starck style, this book reveals the rich variety & extraordinary inventiveness of cafe design. Marie-France Boyer is a freelance journalist, & represents in Paris the magazine ” The World of Interiors”. Her last book wass ” Cabin Fever: Sheds & Shelters, Huts & Hideaways” (1993), also published by Thames & Hudson. Eric Morin is a Paris-based photographer who contributes to many magazines on interior design including ” The World of Interiors”.