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Last Updated on 5 May 2026 by Vanessa

Looking for unique things to do in Paris beyond the usual museums and landmarks? Just a short walk from the Arts-et-Métiers metro station, Café Miaou is the perfect little stop while exploring Le Marais.

So what makes this café near Le Marais so special?

Well… it has 27 cats roaming around And we’re talking luxury breeds here like Munchkin, British Shorthair, British Longhair, Devon Rex, and Minuet.

If you are currently planning your Paris itinerary and wondering whether Café Miaou is worth adding, this guide will help you decide quickly, based on location, timing, pricing, and what kind of experience you’re looking for.

In this guide, you’ll also get everything you need to plan your visit: the café’s address and opening hours, reservation tips, menu items, as well as nearby attractions to add to your itinerary.

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Café Miaou near Le Marais: one of the most unique things to do in Paris

Practical info

Address: Café Miaou, 355 Rue Saint-Martin, 75003 Paris, France.
Neighborhood: 3rd arrondissement, on the edge of the historic Le Marais neighborhood.
Nearest metro station: Arts-et-Métiers (lines 3 and 11)
Opening hours: Open daily from 12:00 pm – 08:00 pm.
Price: Starting at 12€.
Time needed: 1 hour.
Child policy: To ensure the safety and comfort of both cats and young visitors, the café does not allow anyone under 7 years of age inside. Children between 7 to 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Reservation info: It is not possible to reserve your visit online. If necessary, you can contact them via email: cafemiaou355@gmail.com.

What Is Café Miaou?

Café Miaou opened in April 2024, just a few minutes from the famous Le Marais area in Paris.

It is very much like a regular café, except you’re sharing the space with a lot of cats. At Café Miaou, that number is 27. The animals just roam around freely while you have a drink and play with them.

In many cat cafés, the cats are rescues and up for adoption, so the place works a bit like a foster home. Café Miaou does things differently, though. All the cats here are pure-bred, which means they tend to be calmer and more used to people: no hissing and no sudden swipes; just relaxed cats sleeping nearby or crawling on your lap. That concept is similar to cat cafés in Singapore, Japan, or Taiwan, for example.

If you’re a cat lover or just a visitor looking for an unusual café experience, then this is definitely one of the most unique things to do in Paris.

Paris currently has four cat cafés, and yes—we visited all of them. If you’re curious how they compare, it’s worth checking out the others too, because each one has a slightly different setup and vibe. Just click the names to start exploring:

Where is Café Miaou located

Café Miaou sits in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, which is part of the historic Le Marais area (technically, it’s in the Arts-et-Métiers quarter, which is quieter and less touristy than Le Marais).

This part of the city is on the Right Bank (Rive Droite) and is known for its mix of historic streets, small museums, trendy shops, and classic Parisian cafés.

From a travel planning perspective, this is also one of the easiest areas in Paris to build a half-day or even full-day itinerary around, since many major sights are within walking distance.

If it’s your first time in Paris, chances are you’ll be spending time here anyway, so it’s easy to add this Le Marais café to your itinerary.

What it’s like visiting this café in Le Marais

I visited Café Miaou in March, on a Friday at noon. There was already a small queue forming outside 10 minutes before opening time (although some of them might have simply been curious passers-by watching the cats through the window).

Upon entering the cat area, you have to sanitize your hands and put on plastic shoe covers. This is mainly to protect the cats from anything that could be brought in from outside, including bacteria, fungi, or parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii or ringworm spores—both of which can be harmful in environments with close animal contact.

Pricing

Once inside, you choose one of three pricing options:

Pass A (12€) includes one hour with the cats and one drink of your choice.
Pass B (16.50€) includes one hour with the cats and one dessert of your choice.
Pass C (19.50€) includes one hour with the cats, plus one drink and one dessert of your choice.

If you want to stay longer, you can extend your visit for 5€ per extra 30 minutes, which also includes a bottle of water.

The cats

Café Miaou is home to 27 cats, but you won’t see all of them at once. They have a separate back area where they can retreat whenever they want space away from visitors. Still, there are always enough cats in the main café area, so you never feel like you’re waiting for interaction.

The cats here are all pedigree breeds like Munchkin, British Shorthair, British Longhair, and Devon Rex. Because of that, their temperament is generally very calm and people-oriented.

The Devon Rex cats in particular were extremely social, and one of them jumped straight onto my lap and settled in for a nap without hesitation.

They’re clearly used to human contact, and many of them actively seek it out rather than avoid it.

Hygiene

For a place with 27 cats, the café is surprisingly clean. There’s no noticeable smell, which is something you don’t always get in smaller animal cafés. The space is well maintained, and everything feels well looked-after.

Food and drinks menu

The menu is simple and leans heavily toward Asian-inspired beverages and desserts.

On the drinks side, you’ll find classic coffee and tea options, plus a range of specialty lattes like matcha (the owner’s favorite), strawberry, hazelnut, pistachio, and caramel.

There’s also a strong focus on sodas, including yuzu, lychee rose, passion fruit, raspberry, and combinations like honey matcha with grapefruit.

For food, the selection is limited to shaved ice (lychee, mango, or matcha) and pancakes in the same flavors.

I only tried a matcha latte, and it was very good.

Overall vibe

Café Miaou feels like a quieter, more curated take on the cat café concept. It’s not overly luxurious, but there’s a clear focus on cleanliness, calmness, and design.

The mix of pedigree cats and a clean, controlled environment makes it approachable even for people who aren’t usually “cat café people.”

It also works well as a stop in the Le Marais area if you’re exploring Paris with friends or family who want something a bit different from the usual café scene.

Is this café truly one of the most unique things to do in Paris?

I had a great time at Café Miaou, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re in the area. But should it be your top pick over other cat cafés in Paris? That depends on what kind of experience you’re after. Each one is definitely unique and worth visiting but has a very different setup and focus.

Café Miaou is a good fit if you:

care a lot about hygiene and a clean environment
are visiting with someone who is not into cats as much as you are
want to spend time with pedigree cats rather than rescue animals
are already exploring Le Marais or nearby streets and want an easy stop

On the other hand, it’s probably not the best choice if you:

are specifically looking to support cat adoption or rescue-focused cafés
want a place where you can have a full lunch or dinner rather than just drinks and desserts

In comparison, Le Chat Mallows Café is more playful, Le Chat-Rivari Café focuses on vegan food and adoptable rescue cats, and Le Café des Chats offers a more classic Parisian bistro-style setting with cats as part of the atmosphere.

Tips for visiting Café Miaou

Timing matters

The café fills up quickly, and there is no reservation system. Arriving just before opening helps avoid waiting.

Cat activity also varies depending on timing. Earlier visits usually mean more interaction. Oftentimes, cats rest or retreat to the back area when it gets more crowded.

Weekends and early afternoons tend to be the busiest.

Plan this as a short stop

Since the menu is limited to drinks and a few desserts, this works best as a quick one-hour stop rather than a lunch or dinner spot. It’s easy to combine with nearby places in Le Marais, either before or after your visit.

Be mindful of the rules

Café Miaou has standard cat café rules to protect both animals and visitors. The main ones are:

Wear plastic shoe covers before entering the cat area
Sanitize your hands before entering
No flash photography
Do not wake or pick up the cats
Do not feed them human food
Do not bring children under 7 years of age. Those between 7 to 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Nearby attractions to add to your Paris itinerary

Travel-wise, the location of Café Miaou is great because you can easily combine a visit with a half-day exploring Le Marais and other surrounding neighborhoods and attractions. Once you leave, you’re already in one of the best areas in Paris for walking, so it makes sense to continue exploring rather than heading elsewhere immediately. Here are a few other things you can combine it with:

Le Marais

Distance: ~5 minutes walk

Start your morning by exploring Le Marais itself. It’s easily one of the best neighborhoods in Paris for wandering in general, thanks to its boutique shops, art galleries, historic streets, bakeries, and cafés.

Popular spots include:

Rue de Bretagne (food and markets)
Marché des Enfants Rouges (Paris’s oldest covered market)
Place des Vosges (the oldest planned square in Paris)

📍 A half-day walking tour through Le Marais is an easy way to discover spots like this along with hidden corners and stories you’d likely miss on your own.

Centre Pompidou and the surrounding area

Distance: ~10 minutes walk

The Centre Pompidou is a major modern art museum and cultural center that houses one of the largest collections of contemporary art in Europe.

Even if you’re not going to visit the museum itself, the building — with its exposed pipes and escalators on the exterior — is very much worth it.

The area around Centre Pompidou is also known for its street performers and great people-watching cafés.

📍 Your entrance ticket to the Centre Pompidou is included in the Paris Turbopass, an all-in-one sightseeing ticket that includes access to top attractions, museums, public transport, and discounts on food, beverages, and eSim.

Musée des Arts et Métiers

Distance: ~5 minutes walk

This fascinating science and technology museum displays historic inventions, engineering objects, and scientific instruments. It’s located in a former medieval abbey and includes an original model of the Statue of Liberty and early airplanes.

📍 Entry to the Musée des Arts et Métiers is included in your Paris Museum Pass.

Musée Carnavalet

Distance: ~15 minutes walk

One of the best museums for learning about the history of Paris, located inside beautiful historic mansions in Le Marais.

📍 You can book your visit to the Carnavalet Museum here.

Place de la République

Distance: ~10 minutes walk

A large square known for its Monument to the Republic and major metro hub connecting several lines. This one is perfect for evening drinks because the area around it has lots of cafés, restaurants, and nightlife.

Final thoughts

Café Miaou is easy to fit into your day but still feels a bit different from everything else you’ll do in Paris.

If you’re already planning time in Le Marais, it’s an easy addition that doesn’t require extra travel or effort, which makes it one of the more convenient “unique experiences” to include in your Paris itinerary.

And if you’re anything like me, you’ll probably leave with way too many photos and at least one favorite cat.

Want to visit even more spots like Café Miaou? Then check out this ultimate guide to all the cat cafés in France , as well as our overview of cat cafés around the world.

Check out all our other Paris articles below:

English version / version française / versione italiana

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3 responses

Birgit says:

15 April 2026 at 02:19

oh, how i would love to be there and visit all 4 cat cafes.

Reply
messymimi says:

15 April 2026 at 03:13

It looks like a lovely place to stop, especially if you are on vacation for a while and missing your own cats back home.

Reply
chickenruby says:

6 May 2026 at 18:18

Thanks for sharing with #pocolo. I will be in Paris next month and I will certainly be checking out one of these cat cafes as a new experience

Reply

Café Miaou near Le Marais: one of the most unique things to do in Paris

Practical info

What Is Café Miaou?

Where is Café Miaou located