Parisian March Madness: La Course des Cafés

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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.  

The most unique race of the year attracted serveurs and serveuses of all ages. © Meredith Mullins.

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. 

The crowds gathered early at the starting line in the chilly morning air. © Meredith Mullins.

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. 

The art and balance of the tray. © Meredith Mullins.

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 croissants, coffee, and water were ready for action. © Meredith Mullins.

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. 

A waiter from the Tour d’Argent made his presentation a bit more elegant than the standard competition tray. © Meredith Mullins.

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 race was celebrating a 110-year anniversary of sorts, although several years have been skipped since its creation in 1914. © Meredith Mullins.

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). 

The volunteers’ spirit of fun was contagious. © Meredith Mullins.

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 

The contestants picked up their three items and placed them strategically on their trays. © Meredith Mullins.

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.

It seemed easy for some to fall into the familiar rhythm of walking with a tray. © Meredith Mullins

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

Each contestant had his or her own form of pre-race concentration as the countdown began. © Meredith Mullins.

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.

A variety of race strategies were evident. © Meredith Mullins.

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.

It was a day to appreciate the café workers and the joie de vivre of Paris café life. © Meredith Mullins.

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. 

Cafés … the soul of Paris. © Meredith Mullins

Lead photo credit : La Course des Cafés 2024, © Meredith Mullins.

More in La Course des Cafes, Paris entertainment, Waiter run

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Meredith Mullins is an internationally exhibited fine art photographer and instructor based in Paris. Her work is held in private and museum collections in Europe and the U.S. and can be seen at www.meredithmullins.artspan.com or in her award-winning book "In A Paris Moment." (If you’re in Paris, a few rare, signed copies are available at Shakespeare and Company and Red Wheelbarrow.) She is a writer for OIC Moments and other travel and education publications.

Comments

  • WILLIAM OSUCH
    2024-03-28 06:10:43
    WILLIAM OSUCH
    Hi Meredith --- looks like we were almost at the same spot! It was very fun! Bill

    REPLY

    •  Meredith Mullins
      2024-03-31 06:36:19
      Meredith Mullins
      Hi Bill, Yes, we seem to have a good instinct for finding the action. Your photos are wonderful. The vibe before the race was very fun. Everyone just had to dance. Hope to meet you some day. All best, Meredith

      REPLY