A good meeting place is Le Fumoir, a stylish café opposite the Louvre. It has large comfortable seats and takes a range of international publications, so you won’t be at a loose end if your contact arrives late. There are big fans on the ceiling to clear away the smoke from the cigars they sell singly behind the counter – although the days of this smoking establishment are numbered since the French passed their smoking ban earlier this year. Bars and cafes, restaurants and hotels were all given 11 months grace in February.
