Course des Cafés (cafe race) - Paris

On Sunday 24th of March the Course des Cafés (or Cafe Race in English) was held in Paris, France. Waiters raced with a coffee, croissant and a glass of water. If any coffee or water was spilt or the croissant crumbs came off the plate, they lose. They had to bring everything safe to the end and not run!

Samy Lamrous won the men’s race with a time of 13 minutes 30 seconds and Pauline Van Wymeersch won the women's race at 14 minutes 12 seconds. The race was 2km long.

Paris is famous for its waiters. They traditionally wear clean white shirts and black trousers, usually also with a short apron. In Paris and other cities in France, there are many cafes where you can sit outside and the waiters will bring your coffee to your table. It is a fabulous tradition that you should experience.

The waiters were all male in the past, but in recent years there are more women who work as waiters. When the race was started in 1914, the waiters carried a bottle and three glasses.

The race started in the same spot as the Paris 2024 Olympic marathon will start. The winners this year won a night at a very nice hotel and a medal.

For more information, check the original article from The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/24/not-waiting-around-paris-service-staff-battle-it-out-in-revived-course-des-cafes

Or watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfnLwcM5xlE