France is looking to revive its cafe culture, save its lost cafes

One of the most charming things in France are French Cafes. A hub of ideas, exchanges, and endless cups of coffee, French cafes have sort of become an important part of the country’s culture. But, the beautiful villages of France are now losing their beloved cafes, at an alarming rate. Thanks to people leaving for cities, the demand for such obscure cafes has decreased to a great degree. Now, France is looking to revive these cafes and bring back its tradition.
According to reports, President Emmanuel Macron had launched a campaign earlier this month. It is being called, 1000 Cafes. The campaign is going to revive the old cafes in villages across France. French villages account for 30 per cent of France’s population, and reports suggest that more than half of these do not operate a cafe or bistro anymore. This way, these places are losing their sense of community and, of course, their traditional cafe culture.
In fact, a report by the Associated Press suggests that the number has dropped from 200000 cafes to only 40000 cafes in the last fifty years.

The 1000 Cafes campaign is now being run by a charity organisation, Groupe SOS, and it has been receiving funds from the French government. The campaign includes a website, wherein mayors of such villages and towns can file applications, requesting to open a cafe in their locality. Any town or village with 3500 residents, having no cafe or a cafe on the verge of shutting down is eligible.