Paris is one of the most beautiful places in Europe, bursting with inspiration and romance. As a college student, Paris can be a great place for studying outside of campus. You’ll find cafes on nearly every corner serving some of the best coffee and teas in Europe, cozy atmospheres, and more importantly free Wi-Fi. Bonus points if you find a cafe with outdoor seating so you can people watch and soak up the Parisian culture in between punching keys on your laptop and sipping your espresso.
This is a great place to open a book and dive into Art History 101. Dose is a small cafe located in Paris’ Latin Quarter that serves incredible coffee and light dishes like croissants, salads, and avocado toast. What I love about Dose is, although tiny, it makes good use of seating and comfort. You can either sit at a table or at a counter that faces a wall of books and magazines with outlets to hook up your computer and sit in solidarity without being bothered. While you’re at the counter don’t forget to help yourself to free water that they call “sexy water” with lemons and other herbs added. There is also plenty of outdoor seating (no outlets, however) where you can study alfresco on a brick paved street and enjoy a cup of caffeine. Another perk is that they are on Instagram so feel free to snap a shot of your latte art and tag @dosedealerdecafe. Free Wi-Fi is also a plus!
73 rue Mouffetard, 75005 Paris, France, www.dosedealerdecafe.fr
This cozy cafe is one of the best places to get some serious studying done. Strada serves organic, small produced coffee from Ethiopia, India, and Brazil which is quite unique in Paris’ Malais district. The cafe has long benches that run along each side of the two walls and table and chairs lined up on each side in front of the bench – so plenty of seating for such a small space. Get there early to secure the best seat in the house – the window seat where you get your own sofa to sit on and the largest table in the cafe. The menu is perfect for morning studying with freshly baked bread and onto lunch with the best croque madame you’ll ever have. There is free Wi-Fi, however, take note that on weekends Strada is in full brunch mode so they do not allow laptops.
94 rue du Temple, 75003 Paris, France
When the outside window has the words “Free Wi-Fi Inside – Work Fun”, you know this is the perfect place for studying. Matamata Coffee Bar is located in the Montorgueil neighborhood, the heart of Paris close to the Louvre and is definitely one of the more modern cafes in the city, complete with hipster baristas. There is plenty of small table seating indoors (very limited seating outdoors) and a full basement with even more seating downstairs. Whether you are into lattes, flat whites, or cold brew coffee, Matamata has an extensive coffee menu inspired by the coffees of Australia — best described as strong and dark. Free infused water is offered. The best bets for food are the crowd-pleasing carrot cake and the avocado toast.
58 rue d Argout, 75002 Paris, France, www.matamatacoffee.com
This small cafe (see a trend here?) has some of the most affordable coffee in Paris which puts a little ease on the wallet during a long studying session. It’s plush and comfy seating is almost as comforting as that Iced Latte on a hot Paris summer day. There is single-table seating along the outside of the cafe which is centrally located about a ten-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower, but away from the chaotic tourist scene. For those with a restricted diet, Kozy offers a variety of vegan and gluten-free options. They are famous for their quiche and pain au chocolat. The Caramel Cortado and the Mocha Blanc are good bets for coffee. The Dirty Chai latte is one of my faves.
79 avenue Bosquet, 75007 Paris, France, www.kozy.fr
KB Cafeshop can be most compared to a quaint and urban coffee shop in Seattle (say Starbucks), but in the Pigalle neighborhood of Paris, less than a half mile from Montmartre. It has plenty of outdoor seating that pleasantly looks over a carousel (more beautiful at dusk when it is lit up). The indoor seating is mostly wooden stools and communal tables, but you’ll feel right at home nonetheless because most everyone has their laptops open sipping on a flat white and devouring the carrot cake. The word around town is that KB has some of the fastest internets. That’s a must criterion for any study abroad student. The cozy corners inside the shop are perfect for diving into those advance physics chapters. There are plenty of outlets to charge your devices, especially when you sit at the counter at the front window – love the people watching from behind the glass here. It’s an Australian-run cafe which means – full-bodied and robust coffee! What’s great about KB is that it is frequented by lots of locals, so you’ll find yourself studying in the midst of French students and professionals.
62 rue des Martyrs, 75009 Paris, France, http://www.kbcafeshop.com
Author Bio:
Tiffany Carter is a food and travel writer for magazines, businesses, and colleges like Patrick Henry College. She has studied abroad at England’s Cambridge University. She has traveled to over 15 countries across the globe with her favorites being Italy and Germany. Studying abroad gave her the education and cultural experience as well as knowing which shop has the best gelato and which souvenirs not to waste your money on.