Gault&Millau logo

Contact

37-39 rue Boissière
75016 Paris
France

Phone : 01 41 40 99 80

GaultMillau © 2026 All rights reserved

The legendary café race is back in Paris after a 13-year absence!

The legendary café race is back in Paris after a 13-year absence!

With the Olympic Games just a few months away, a rather original "sport" is making a comeback: the Paris Coffee Run. An unusual and free event not to be missed!

Ingrid Boinet

Ah, Paris! Its monuments, its bistros, its brasseries... and its waiters' races! After a thirteen-year absence, this competition has risen from the ashes, much to our delight. We tell you all about this historic event.

Reviving a century-old race

Among France's most unusual events, the coffee race holds pride of place! Disappeared thirteen years ago for lack of a partner, it's making a comeback on March 24, 2024, 110 years after its creation.

The objective is clear (but not so simple): to carry a coffee, a glass of water and a croissant on a tray, without spilling it, for 2 km around the Hôtel de Ville, without running. It's atestament to the balance and speed of Parisian waiters and waitresses!

The race is open to room service professionals, who have until March 20, 2024 to register. The 200 expected participants will all be wearing " white tops, black bottoms and aprons" provided by the organizers.

With four months to go before the Olympic Games, the event is a prelude to the summer festivities, but not the only one. The race will also serve to honor the city's renowned French-style service, as well as showcasing the capital's water and combating plastic pollution. With its 1,200 water fountains, including the famous Wallace fountains, and such talented waiters, Paris is unlikely to go thirsty!

  • Where to go? Place de l'Hôtel de Ville,Sunday March 24, 2024 at 10 a.m.
  • Free event

If you're not available on March 24, you should know that this race has become so popular that it has spread to every continent and is now held in over fifty countries, including the United States, Brazil, Germany and Japan. It can also be found in many cities throughout France.

Michel Sarran signs Ma Biche sur le Toit restaurant's special anniversary menu
News & Events
Michel Sarran signs Ma Biche sur le Toit restaurant's special anniversary menu
Until January 30, 2026, an exclusive lunch menu, signed Michel Sarran (4 toques), can be found at the panoramic Toulouse restaurant Ma Biche sur le Toit (2 toques).
Restaurants still offering the famous dessert cart
News & Events
Restaurants still offering the famous dessert cart
Paris-Brest, flan, chocolate mousse, rice pudding... Why choose when you can have it all, thanks to the resurgence of the dessert cart? Here's a selection of restaurants offering this farandole that's as pleasing to the eye as it is to the taste buds.
Aquarius Wine Horoscope for 2026
News & Events
Aquarius Wine Horoscope for 2026
A new vintage is on the horizon. Will it live up to its promise? Impossible to say... except for our cellar astrologer, who has already selected a few enchanting vintages to lift your spirits when the heart falters.
Poetry, a table in Nîmes by Nicolas Fontaine and Logan Thouillez
News & Events
Poetry, a table in Nîmes by Nicolas Fontaine and Logan Thouillez
In February, Poésie will open its doors in Nîmes. This new restaurant was conceived and inspired by two of Pierre Gagnaire's disciples: chef Nicolas Fontaine and sommelier Logan Thouillez.
La France s’impose lors de la sélection Europe de la Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie
News & Events
La France s’impose lors de la sélection Europe de la Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie
Ce lundi 19 janvier 2026, la France a remporté la sélection européenne de la Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie. Elle est désormais qualifiée pour la finale mondiale de 2027.
Michel Trama forced to close L'Aubergade after 47 years in business
News & Events
Michel Trama forced to close L'Aubergade after 47 years in business
L'Aubergade, in Lot-et-Garonne, will not be reopening after its annual vacation. The announcement was made at a local ceremony by the mayor of Puymirol.
Become Partners