Vélocafé

Considering how difficult and draining it is to begin an innovative business in France, I salute exciting entrepreneurialism when I see it. Such is the case with Vélocafé, a coffee stand on wheels that’s stationed outside of La Bourse Monday through Friday.
I passed by the stand a few weeks ago and spoke briefly with the owners, a Danish couple that has taken their coffee appreciation to a new level by becoming the only mobile café in Paris. At the time I was sufficiently caffeinated, so I didn’t order a coffee but today, when I walked by again, I was in desperate need of a little pick me up.
I ordered a long espresso macchiato for 1.30E that was smooth, and creamy with a little bitter kick to finish, and decided to enjoy while talking once again to the owners to find out more about their unusual set-​up.
So, it took a lot of time and patience (surprise, surprise) for them to get a license to sell coffee out of a customized Danish bicycle, and while their concept is mobility the law restricts them from taking their stand on the road (ahhh, la France…), so they have to be stationed in one place all the time.
Luckily for me, that place is close to where I work, so I know I can find them there whenever I want. If the concept works out they can start a fleet and place some more Vélocafés around the city. Now I’ll raise a cuppa cappuccino to that!