Ironically, coffee is very much a part of Parisian culture. Every time I went to a café, everyone around me would be ordering a coffee, whether it was a café au lait or an espresso (insert French accent). My host mother would offer me coffee every morning, and if we were sitting down to talk, it was always over coffee (sometimes tea).
People there don't just stand in line for a Starbucks and jet out of there with a tall soy latte. They, instead, will always sit down, maybe smoke a cigarette, and drink their coffee there. But that doesn't necessarily mean they are drinking good coffee. In fact, many American coffee lovers will visit and complain about how terrible the coffee is there.
According to another article on the way Parisians drink their coffee, it seems that Parisians drink coffee as more of a palate cleanser or for just a burst of energy than for its taste. But recently, things have started to change.
Over here on our side of the Atlantic, people have become so obsessed with good coffee that the number of different methods – from cold brew to pour-over – are growing exponentially, along with the importance of good coffee equipment, technology, and fresh, quality beans.
Perhaps Paris will experience the same evolution. Strand did follow up in 2012 announcing that "Finally, Paris has a coffee scene." Or considering the Parisians' inclination to preserve the French culture, maybe they will continue to just keep coffee simple.