French Bistros, Like a Second Living Room, Face Survival Battle Amid Declining Numbers and Operating Pressure

(Central News Agency, Paris, 12th, Special Dispatch) French bistros, with their relaxed atmosphere where one can eat, chat, and drink coffee, are like a 'second living room.' However, due to changing times and operating pressures, the number of traditional bistros and cafés is declining, and industry players are pushing for their inscription as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Alain Fontaine runs the Le Mesturet bistro in Paris, offering homemade dishes such as blanquette de veau (veal in white sauce) and duck burgers. The place is packed during lunch and dinner hours, with waiters bustling about.

This bistro was originally a restaurant founded in 1883. Fontaine's family had been regulars for generations. Sitting at the bar he knew from childhood felt like coming home, so when he learned the restaurant was for sale, he immediately decided to take it over. He has now been running it for 24 years. The establishment displays many family photos and generations-old wooden furniture, with memories in every corner.

It is no exaggeration to say that Fontaine's life revolves around the bistro. He currently serves as the president of the Association des bistrots et cafés en France (Association of French Bistros and Cafés), leading the effort to have bistros and cafés listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Le Vaudésir, a bistro in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, also has a history of over 140 years. Pierre-Christophe Hantz began operating it in 2001, primarily serving the local community. Because it is not far from the famous 'Catacombs' attraction, it also frequently draws tourists.

In an interview with CNA, Hantz said that bistros are indispensable to the French people. They provide an all-day open space where people can eat, chat, read, work, or go on a date. It's like a 'second living room,' a place where you can spend an entire day outside your home.

Romain Vidal, who runs Le Sully in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, emphasized the social function of the bistro. Located on the banks of the Seine, Le Sully has been a family business since 1917. Vidal, now 44, joined the business full-time after graduating from business school and is the fourth-generation operator.

Vidal points out that bistros have a unique atmosphere that allows strangers to naturally strike up conversations. Even customers who come alone can almost always end up chatting with someone at the next table. This kind of scene wouldn't happen in a regular restaurant; 'only bistros have this magic.' If a customer prefers to be alone and do their own thing, there is absolutely no pressure.

Paris has many such historic bistros, as well as many with more modern atmospheres or décor, each catering to its own clientele.

Although traditional bistros are still densely concentrated in Paris, their numbers have decreased significantly across France, especially in rural areas or smaller towns with fewer inhabitants.

In the 1900s, France had about 500,000 bistros. Today, there are fewer than 40,000. Reasons include population loss in towns due to rural or industrial decline; the widespread establishment of company cafeterias in the 1970s, which reduced workers' need to patronize bistros; later, the smoking ban led to a further drop in customers; and in recent years, the普及 of home coffee machines has provided another reason not to drink coffee out.

Hantz also observed a decline in customers during meal times. This is because nearby businesses and shops, unable to afford high rents, have moved away. The COVID-19 pandemic made remote work a common option, further reducing the number of office worker customers.

Fontaine told CNA that being listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage would increase international visibility, raise public awareness of the importance of preserving this tradition and culture, and help establish a foundation to assist those who want to run a bistro in their community or rural area, supporting small towns in reviving their own commercial circles.

Vidal said that UNESCO recognition would be highly significant because bistros embody the art of living that the French cherish, including home-style cooking and fine wine. Cultural and political debates frequently occur here. It can be said that the intersection of culture, economy, agriculture, and social elements is found in the bistro.

Hantz believes the significance of seeking heritage status lies in focusing on things that are rooted in daily life but not necessarily consciously recognized, so that we don't regret their disappearance or transformation only after they are gone.

He points out that the goal is not to turn bistros into museums, but to protect this way of life or culture. He also hopes it will encourage young people to return to rural areas to run bistros, because in the countryside, a bistro or café is often the only place for residents to maintain economic and social connections.

Bistros are open from breakfast to late-night supper, usually without a break between meal services. They offer a wider range of food and drink than newer-style cafés. Whether you want to chat or be alone, have a drink or a meal, the bistro is always a good idea.

However, the operators face long working hours and numerous challenges.

Vidal lists operating costs like rent and electricity, along with thin profit margins. About half of the revenue goes to paying wages, and inflation adds further pressure.

He hopes that French bistros will successfully gain recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, rekindling public attention and prompting a search for solutions to help these businesses sustain themselves.

Fontaine also hopes to establish training courses to guide newcomers on how to run a bistro, so that every small rural town can have its own bistro or café—a multifunctional space combining daily life and social interaction, where people can eat, drink coffee, and even have the bistro collect and send mail for residents.

What does the ideal French bistro look like? Fontaine's description is: 'A place where, from the past, through the present, and into the future, generation after generation learns to live together.' (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150612