On the terraces of Paris...and then they are gone.

La Mère Catherine, Place du Tertre — seasonal terrace platform, removed each year between November 1 and March 31.

La Mère Catherine’s seasonal terrace stretches across part of Place du Tertre, a summer platform that expands dining into the square for the restaurants around the square. These large seasonal structures are required to be completely dismantled between November 1 and March 31 each year.

The platform belongs to a tradition of expanded outdoor seating, yet it exists with clear limits: local rules ensure the square is restored for winter and the artists, while the terrace returns in the warmer months to host conversation, meals, and people-watching as the artists vie for space.

“A terrace is a temporary invitation to stay a while and notice the city.”


Part of the “Terraces of Paris” Series

A small selection of Paris terraces, the structures that shape how we sit in the city and meet in public spaces.

Browse the full series

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