Left Bank Street Fight

It was actually good to get a break from polarizing politics and to a read a non-political human-interest or bistro-interest piece. But even this RC cannot manage to do without showing bias. Zoning and code exist for a reason, so that in this case passersby are not obstructed when they use the public walkways, which belong to the public and not the bistro owner. If any side should be taken, it should be for the wheelchair user, the disabled. The lady mentioned faces challenges all of the time, navigating bistro tables at RC's favorite bisto should not be one of them. I am on the other side of the aisle or in this case, street, than RC is.

Vive Paris, Vive la France, et Vive M. Cohen!

I also commend the French yen for raising a stink and going to the barricades. But it was better when the French seethed and simmered over issues of great import, as in 1968, 1870 and 1848.

Roger, I love your writing and your mental acuity. I hope you are in France working on a story and that you did not go there merely for the wine, eggs, and cheese, nor even for the conviviality. We must all begin to realize something-- and that is our impact on this planet. Recently released research shows that tourism is responsible for nearly 10% of the C02 and other GHGs with which we humans are loading the atmosphere, and there is no satiety point-- that is, the more people do it, the more they want to do it, and so the more they do do it, if they have the means. By anyone's arithmetic, if you understand the physics, this is planetary suicide at the hands of the overly-entitled and selfishly-curious. Don't be selfish. Give us all some breathing room so we can chill. Look at some pictures of Paris. Read a book. Maybe even just import the wine and cheese. At least then the plane doesn't have to carry your weight too. "... the new study doesn’t just tally up emissions from the traveling itself, like hopping a flight, going on a road trip or taking a cruise. It also looks at the impact of the goods and services that tourists enjoy, from food to shopping to hotel stays. Who has the biggest carbon footprint? The United States topped the list, as both a top destination for tourists and a source of tourists." https://www.sciencenews.org/article/tourism-carbon-footprint-earth

Mr. Cohen has a an enviable way to make a living -- sitting in Paris in the spring, eating a perfect omelet paired with good wine, and writing about a little contretemps between two dueling bistros. I think I will unretire and pursue this line of work. Where do I sign?

In Paris, you poke around personal territory at you own risk. No blood spilled... yet, and that's a good thing. Are you biased towards Au Sauvignon by any chance? I ask as no specialty at La Brazza was mentioned, let alone praised. And that is personal too. And risky.

There really is no place on earth like Paris. I miss it every single day I am not there. Merci, Monsieur Cohen.

Monsieur Billoud is a perfectly drawn curmudgeon. Even in his pettiness and jealousy, he is an archetype of what it means to be French.

Thank you, Roger. "... rootedness and globalized modernity ... what the whole world is fighting about." May I disagree with this last line? Here in America Trump's white supporters, i.e., his "real Americans," would like to keep their undeserved prerogatives, privileges, and entitlements. That is a kind of rootedness, of course. But it is a dismal rootedness that represents the worst of our American tradition. I prefer the rootedness associated with the bedrock ideals that we strive for when we are at our best: a can-do spirit; an independence that doesn't blame others for our own shortcomings; healthy skepticism and humble truth; notions of merit and character that are not based on money or wealth.

A sadly so true line, Roger: "That’s a scourge of the contemporary world: transactional interactions, stripped of human content, between solipsistic people addicted to their devices."

It’s nice to occasionally re-encounter an anchor in a turbulent sea that allows us to regain our bearings as we’re jostled about by change generally and tattoos on women specifically. I sympathize with Roger’s relief to find that SOME things don’t change in Paris, a city I also know well. But some things do. A few years ago, I pulled into my Paris hotel on a business trip from a very late flight, and I was so wiped out that I actually was buzzed from the fatigue. I sat down to dinner before they closed the restaurant and thoughtlessly ordered a Cabernet. Now, one doesn’t order a Cabernet in a Parisian restaurant, not because they don’t know it and not because it’s not popular the world over (as a matter of fact Bordeaux blends popular there contain Cabernet grapes). But since the 1970s, Cabernet has become closely associated with California and to Parisian wait staff ordering such a wine is tantamount to ordering Hawaiian Punch. It could get your ear sawed off (messily) with a butter knife by a Parisian waiter. The waiter expressed somewhat outraged confusion. I laughed, apologized and explained how fatigued I was, then ordered the house Bordeaux instead. He smiled and granted my ear a reprieve. It helped that I was obviously an American but that we spoke in French. So, Parisians, even Restaurant staff, do change. But it still helps to at least try to speak French. And I thank Roger for a delightful offering without a single mention of Donald Trump.

Christian Deville, the quoted waiter at La Brazza, echoed Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes's definition: "Your freedom ends where my nose begins."

In America, they’d sue each other.

I am heartened to see that people still fight over things worth fighting about, and do so only in words, glares, hand gestures, and arguments over regulations.

Thank you Roger, You reminded me of my father who relished the arguments that reinforced our humanity and kept us from embarking on the destructive arguments that destroyed us and our neighbours. My father's wisdom was he only had disputes with those he loved and respected. I am concerned that your country can never again become whole because love and respect is now gone from political discourse and all that is important is winning and scoring points. There is something very reassuring about knowing your grandchildren will be having the same dispute and that love is manifest in the dispute and affirmation is central to the argument.

Ah, a commercial enterprise attempting to use the powers of government for commercial advantage? That's been happening for only as long as there has been government. A few Nobel prizes have been won writing about it.

Another beautifully written slice of life from the NYT's best journalist. Thank you.

If only the Israeli-Palestinian impasse could be as classy as this feud between long standing businesses.

Why is it that Americans always see France, and Paris in particular, as a playground for tourists and those French who have the leisure and money necessary to spend long hours in picturesque sidewalk cafes? I'm reminded of Santa Fe, a lovely, picturesque Disneyland for the idle and affluent in the center, but not so picturesque for the majority of locals who live outside the "cool" parts.

Another brilliant essay by a columnist without an ax to grind. Hats off to Roger Cohen.

"France may just have the balance between rootedness and globalized modernity right — and that’s what the whole world is fighting about." That two French cafes feud over a row of tables, might make perfect sense to the owners, customers and even to the French. That this signifies some sort of metaphysical cosmic yin yang type of importance for Mr. Cohen, worthy of an op-ed, that is a lot more puzzling to me.

Once, in an earlier life, talking the licensing/ownership of some software to someone... Their answer was incredibly insightful... They didn't care about ownership - only about the rights that'd be licensed... ..... In NYC, they trade air rights pretty peacefully, but terrorize each other with threats of landmarking... As for who yields on a NYC sidewalk on any given day - it's pretty much the Wild West... Reminds of the trainside (like inches away) shops in Samut Songkhram, that roll their wares back when the train goes by - and roll them forward once it's gone... So perhaps, in Songkhram-on-the-Seine, eateries could mandated to move their tables back from most of the sidewalk - at peak pedestrian traffic times - but put them back, a minute later... Unique among civilizations, France can be progressive, while making the trains run on time - most of the time... Interesting, though - seems the place has been over-run by food trucks in the past several years... https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/world/europe/food-trucks-add-american... Hear their Royal Cheeses are actually very tasty burgers...

The photo showing Mr. Billoud clearing the tables, shows a very narrow strip of sidewalk in front of HIS tables. I doubt a wheelchair or even two people walking side by side could pass by.

I loved the times I visited Au Sauvignon decades ago, but it seems like they're in the wrong. If their second row would illegally infringe on the sidewalk, that's wrong, mo matter what the motive was of the complaining party. On the other hand, looking at the photo, I wonder if the outdoor tables at La Brazza improperly infringe on the sidewalk.

Thank you for the wonderful column Roger. Who would think you could find such humanity and Frenchness as we suffocate in the dark cloud of Trumpness.

This morning Mr. Cohen, indulging his insatiable need to compete with Proust in the realm of sensitivity and literary lyricism, has cast himself as Hemingway in a gauzy black-and-white film directed by Truffaut, shot entirely on La Rive Gauche. Why bother? France has big problems, but a spat between owners of cafés isn't one of them. Moreover, by trivializing the argument, a genuine business concern has became the basis for a silly French comedy, which in turn is demeaning.

Roger: Nice piece. But I suspect a better translation of ‘competition déloyale’ is ‘unfair competition’ - which in France often means any competition at all.

Sorry, but this doesn't even rise to the level of a "first world problem" worthy of the Opinion pages of the NY Times. I read it expecting Cohen eventually would expand into some discussion of EU policy or some other topic of actual relevance, but no... Honestly, is there anything more trite than another bit about "ah, my younger days in Paris; how much the city has changed and yet remains timeless"?

More articles like this one, please, and fewer about 'how to get along with your siblings' or 'things to help you with your spring cleaning'!!!

Such is human nature. If only some political system can legislate which side of the street the sun can shine on for any given hour. But none can. Encourage people to go to the voting booth can never solve such problems either. Forget about Democracy. So what might alleviate the problems? Better early childhood education about kindness, compassion, compromise, and how to make better choices based on facts and evidence, not on opinions, ideologies, religious faith, political affiliation, tribal kinship, dogmas. And always reflect on the Silver Rule and try to live by it if possible: "do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you"--i.e., the golden rule with negations on both clauses. Accept that there is no perfect cure to human's selfish instincts.

Oh what a wonderful day this would be if a dispute between feuding owners of two delightful French Cafe's could capture our attention and block the avalanche of horrid, depressing news. Thanks Roger Cohen for the much needed respite, no matter how brief.

excellent, you got paid while on vacation

Thank you, Mr. Cohen, for still accepting comments from readers. It appears that your colleague, David Brooks, no longer wants feedback. Reading his latest piece on Trump's cleverness in using in foreign policy areas the thuggery he learned as a realtor, I can understand why Mr. Brooks does not want to read what thoughtful people have to say about this.

Just had lunch at the Sauvignon the other day. Perfect, as always. The thing is Le Sauvignon and the Brazza don't really compete; I might stop at the latter for a coffee, but never for lunch or a glass of wine — that's Sauvignon business. BTW, bad news for traditional Parisian wine bar fans: La Taverne Henri IV, on Pont-Neuf, is no more after decades of excellence under the founder, M. Cointepas, and his worthy successeur, M. Virmoux (and his wife). As John Hartford said in "Tear Down the Grand Ole Opry": "Another good thing has done gone on, done gone" (I'm listening to it right now, in the 5th in Paris — what a delicious juxtaposition). Ah well, 50+ years is nothing to sneeze at. The song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1FFyyJz8wc

Just build a wall and play "Candy Rush" on your phone.

I've been to Paris and I was also in the cafe business for many years. I can understand the bad blood over the ridiculous. I used to fight with my neighbors over the parking. But these people should imagine: how would it be if the guys across the street went out of business and a Subway sandwich franchise went in? Right. Let the grouchy cigarette smokers and brusque waiters carry on.

Lived in Paris for 3 years in early 1960's and never heard of either of the 2 cafes author mentions. Was an habitue of Cafe Rond Point, Cafe Dome and La Rotonde, which many folk, poor and "sans logis" not only frequented,but practically lived there, and were charged according to number of "soucoupes"or saucers from cups of coffee they had consumed.FOLKS spent most of their time in cafes since living in "chambres de bonnes"left 1 claustrophobic. But how white, elitist and clueless this article appears to be.!How many adherents of FRONT NATIONAL, w/o work, could afford even a croissant and a cafe creme at either of the 2 establishments author mentions?Paris today is for wealthy tourists and the winners in French society, not for the "Francais moyen"who could never afford Paris rents these days and is forced to exist in dreary, perilous h.l.m's "en balieue!"" 1 day ran into son of former owner of Cafe Dome before it became a chic seafood restaurant, and standing outside, he remarked, "Vous voyez, il n'a plus rien!"

This is why we love France, the French and Paris in particular. No place like It! We'll be there soon...

Ah the "ahs" of it all. I never made it to Paris but I`ve drank whiskey in the red light district of Amsterdam and Monks beer in Belgium, both in sidewalk cafes. But the thought that stood out the most in this piece is that the rights of one stops when it infringes in the rights of others, how democratic. We either need to spend more time in France or get more French to spend time in the US.

Good piece. I haven't been to Paris for some years, but this sounds like the France I knew. There's nothing as much fun as a good feud, especially if it's about mostly nothing.

Retired long ago, this year moved into an Independent Living Apartment in Continuing Care Community where I'm protected from inconveniences and delighted to be brought back to my gift of living and working in Paris for five years with an add on elevator that landed mid floors in a curved stairway, so one stepped into a pie shaped wedge into space, sidewalks crowded by parked cars, motos, and of course café chairs. Mr. Cohen, thank you for bringing me back to such joy, truly joie de vivre. This morning I'll cook an omelet with herbs de Provence and eat it on my balcony on a bistro table, bought in Paris, carried to my apartment on the bus, and later shipped to USA. Merci.

Cohen doesn't seem to have any “favorite haunts” in the banlieues or the nether regions of deindustrialized France, where the wine is not perfect, which may explain a lot. After decades of trying to preserve the past and postpone the future, France is now at the very beginning of the beginning of the process of adapting to the new economic and geopolitical realities of the 21st century, as well as the new era of globalization, which will result in nothing less than a fundamental transformation of French society. It has barely even begun to try to find “the balance between rootedness and globalized modernity”. To imply that it has already been achieved is patently absurd. Now that the post-election euphoria has subsided, the French seem to be struggling to find a way forward in this new era, just like we are, and just like every other country will. And France is now at a turning point. If Macron is successful in reforming France, it will be unrecognizable in ten years. If Macron is unsuccessful in reforming France, it will be unrecognizable in ten years. Either way, the "French way of life" will soon be a thing of the past, and the inability to resolve this decades-long, festering dispute between two restaurants illustrates how the French seem completely unprepared for the wrenching changes that loom on the horizon. I suspect France is going to be in the news quite a lot in the coming 12-24 months. And it won’t be about the quality of its omelettes.

The Red Queen is in mourning over the death of her spouse. We are sitting outside a cafe on rue de Bac, eating the best omelet prepared by the owner; gruff, rude, a descendant of the French Mob, but he knows my parent by sight. He remains reluctantly polite. After she dies, her son, the Child of the First Bed, finds himself with his wife at the same cafe. He has come from America and has a good understanding of French. In passing, he later mentions that they were treated arrogantly and were revolted. He dislikes the French intensely and this is just another spark that has been set off. When asked once if he would like to live in Paris, he considers the matter and admits that it is a pleasant thought if only the French did not live there. This is not true, he is a true blue New Yorker and he would sink into a Seine depression within a few days. It is possible that we shall not see again, my brother and I, as time goes by, but a wicked smile comes to my eyes when thinking 'Remember, We Shall Always Have Paris'.

Wonderfully evocative article! We're going back again this summer, for our fifth visit, and Au Sauvignon is a cafe we know and love. Paris is ALWAYS a good idea!

Mon cher Mr. Cohen, Your writing is always wonderful but is at its peak when you write about France. My wife, four (young) children and I just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in Paris and for a few brief moments, today's piece transported me back to the cafes at which we happily lingered, finding respite from routine and pleasure in the wine and, croque monsieur/madame. Merci!

I found the outdoor cafes in Paris to be extremely segregated between smokers and those who would rather enjoy their libations without the need to inhale secondhand cigarette smoke. When I used to smoke, I never gave it a thought that I was forcing all those around me to suffer secondhand smoke. After I became man enough to quit, I realized how rude I had been to the non-smoking public. Alas, in Paris cafes, tradition trumps proper social behavior.

The balance of tradition & modernity is a beautiful hallmark of France. For three consecutive summers my partner & I have rented an apartment from a friends family in the neighborhood in the article. I hope the constant change that our modern world thrives on continues to be slow & gentle in Paris, where people are still more important than tech.

Merci Cher Roger, Your insightful piece on one of my favorite places and the intra - village tensions that define most of the capital city's 80 Quartiers and,as you correctly report, is very much part of the fabric of France 's thousands of villages, warms me in Starbucks a block from the Remsen Street we both know in Brooklyn. Monday I head back to the village which adopted me and my family over 25 years ago, despite us coming from Paris, a sin only surpassed by coming from the next village over, as my late neighbor Gilbert told me his father had in the early 20th century Far from the Promenade, I will continue to read your op-ed pieces on my devices with interest and heart in "LA France profonde" John