Parisian March Madness: La Course des Cafés

An intrepid band of spirited servers from Paris cafés and bistrots took to the streets last Sunday morning, through rain and cold (no snow or gloom of night). Some sportscasters called it the best sporting event of the weekend.  

Crowds of spectators and world media gathered to cheer the unconventional competition and observe the historic moment.  It was March Madness of the Parisian kind — La Course des Cafés — the famous waiter race. 

More than 200 professional servers, apprentices, and trainees representing the rich cultural heritage of Paris café life entered the historic race to showcase their prowess in one of the essential skills of café work. The art and balance of the tray. 

Their challenge was to speedwalk through the streets of the Marais while controlling the one-handed carry of a tray topped with a traditional Parisian café breakfast.

Each contestant whisked a croissant, cup of coffee, and glass of water through the 2 kilometer (1.2 mile) course, which started and ended at the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall). 

The race rules were clear. The tray had to be carried in one hand (although you could change hands during the race). No running was allowed. And nothing could be spilled or broken. A jury was on hand at the finish line to check the race time and to see that everything on the tray was in order — no errant drops of coffee or water spilled. 

The event was inaugurated in 1914 as La Course des Garçons de Café (back when all the servers were men). The waiters balanced wine bottles and glasses and ran 8 kilometers through the streets in the starched white coats, black ties, and shiny dress shoes of the day. 

The rules, attire, and objects on the tray have changed over the years, but the event has remained a cultural tradition that pays tribute to the importance of café life.

Because the race has been on hiatus since 2011 (in search of a sponsor) and because 2024 is the year of the Olympics in Paris, the return of the race attracted local and international attention. 

The energy level of the volunteers and spectators grew as danceworthy music blared from the speakers and the clock ticked toward the starting countdown. Everyone was in a good mood (which is not always the case in a café if you’re waiting impatiently for a server to pay attention to you). 

Here, the servers were at the top of their game. The contestants pinned their race numbers to their traditional black and white waitstaff garb, tied their aprons, and picked up each of the three required items.  

They placed the items on the tray as their individual strategy dictated, keeping in mind the laws of physics (or not) and everything they had every learned in their chosen profession about balancing a tray.

They gathered in the starting area, ready to concentrate and show how years on the job prepared them for this moment. 

Each had their own game plan. You can balance a tray with the fingers or the palm of the hand. You can arrange your items in the center of your tray or place them in some sort of triad of stability. As you walk, you can hold the tray close to your center of gravity or hoist it elegantly in the air for added drama.

Whatever the approach, the participants were already in good shape. Normal café shifts require a server to walk more than 12 kilometers (well over the suggested 10,000 steps a day) — good training for the 2 kilometer race. And the constant zig zagging on the job between closely placed café tables is prime preparation for jockeying among competitors for good race position or for trying to get around zealous iPhoneographers who are invariably in the middle of the race course.

The winners were deserving of the accolades and their prizes, which included a night at an upscale hotel and tickets to the Olympics Opening Ceremony. Samy Lamrous of La Contrescarpe won the men’s division with a time of 13 minutes and 30 seconds. Pauline Van Wymeersch of Le Petit Pont won the women’s division with a time of 14 minutes and 12 seconds. Both with nary a drop or crumb spilled. 

A few arrondissement mayors and deputy mayors entered the race for fun, promoting the importance of café servers as icons of French culture. And Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo summarized the event well with the message — a time to celebrate Paris joie de vivre.

For me, I will appreciate my local café servers more after seeing them take on the streets of Paris with determination, elegance, and a perfectly balanced tray of breakfast goodies.

After all, cafés are part of the Paris heartbeat. They are where we write our journals, poems, and novels; sketch our impressions; observe the beauty and quirkiness of humankind, awaken our imagination, and savor our tiny cups of coffee or glasses of wine with friends or family. Cafés are indeed the soul of Paris.