For those among you that are planning your trip to visit Paris and to whom Paris coffee is life, this article is, of no doubt, a matter of life and death reading for you. INSIDR recently met with Terres de Café owner, Christophe, to learn more of his extraordinary role in revolutionising the Paris coffee scene.
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The Battlefield of Paris Coffee
Long dominated by expats in Paris, the “troisième vague” (third wave) coffee movement has introduced specialty coffee firmly onto the Parisian gastronomy scene. There is, however, one individual by the name of Christophe Servell who, along with his team of coffee enthusiasts, is flying the French flag in a revolutionary attempt to put France on the international map for specialty coffee.
Christophe began his revolutionising mission modestly back in 2009 when he opened his first Paris-based coffee joint, Terres de Café. The glowing reputation this coffee boutique quickly earned meant it soon outgrew its miniature shop-front, with queues of caffeine-eager punters outside becoming a permanent fixture. Today, Terres de Café has grown to consist of four coffee boutiques as well as an online store selling a vast range of their purest, highest quality expresso capsules, coffee machines and coffee. Quite a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield that is Paris coffee. Christophe is also spreading his coffee expertise by partnering with local Parisian restaurants and bistro’s, equipping them with their own unique blend of Terres de café Paris coffee, each one customised to work harmoniously with the restaurant’s menu and individual style. INSIDR took a trip to meet Christophe and discover their most recent boutique to open, located just a stone’s throw away from the original, found in the trendy 4th arrondissement of Paris.
Walk through the tastefully understated entrance, you are instantly greeted with the welcoming aroma of rich, freshly brewed coffee. A quick glance around the sleek interior, you will notice the lack of coffee tables; This is quite intentional. Terres de Café is not a café in the traditional sense, rather it is a “coffee bar”, and by its very definition should be enjoyed as one would enjoy a session of wine tasting at a quality wine bar. This Paris coffee joint is a place to taste, discuss, buy and savour quality coffee by expertly trained baristas. If you are lucky, you may even be served by Mikaël, a finalist in the French coffee art championships. Whilst you may not be able to order your skinny Melbourne macchiato or double mocha latte, you will be served with a picture perfect, quality coffee.
A short discussion with Christophe and you can immediately sense his passion for coffee. Only recently returned to the Paris coffee scene from Brazil, following one of his many excursions to personally source the Terres de Café coffee beans, Christophe becomes animated talking about his coffee production process. From the bean sourcing to expert roasting, Christophe relishes in rediscovering old techniques and pioneering in the new in order to create the perfect cup of coffee. This passion is translated into the quality of the coffee he produces; in 2015 he was awarded best coffee roaster in France for his Ethiopie H3 BIO blend. Balancing a delicate mix of coffee beans from 3 micro-plantations in Ethiopia, once made into an expresso, this coffee is a divine aromatic blend of spicy and chocolatey tones.
The new boutique is the epitome of Christophe’s vision for the future of Paris coffee; combining quality coffee, a shop front for their expertly produced products, a range of coffee machines for sale, and above all a friendly atmosphere for people to relish an excellent coffee, or three.
Store Locations for this Taste of Paris Coffee:
Blancs Manteaux
Open Tuesday to Saturday 9:30am- 7:15pm; Sunday 1-6pm
40 rue des Blancs Manteaux, 75004
Rambuteau
Open Monday 9am- 6pm Saturday 9am-7:15pm; Sunday 10am- 7pm
14 rue Rambuteau, 75003