Sad that Oma Coffee has been closed and will continue to be “under renovation” for an indeterminate period of time? Need a place to “study” while sipping on a delicious cup of tea? Missing your cat back home and not being satisfied by cat memes online? Well, do I have the perfect café for you: Introducing the Ronron Café, more commonly known in Reims as “that café with cats.” Located on Rue de Vesle, right near the centre of Reims, the café is only about a 20-minute walk from campus, which makes it a pleasant walk through the city.
If you haven’t heard of Ronron Café before, you probably haven’t met me (hi, I’m Kat, AKA the “Disney Girl” or the “Cat Café Girl” on campus). The café is where I go to study, meet up with friends, or just to take a break from life in general. Where else can you have a cat-shaped pastry and work on your history presentation while a cat sits on your lap?
When you first walk into the café, you’ll notice that there are two doors, one of which locks when the other is open. These doors help keep the cats inside, because as we all know, “curiosity killed the cat,” as the cats don’t know that staying inside of the café keeps them nice and safe. Before you enter the main room, you have to put on shoe-covers and wash your hands in order to help keep the café clean and to maintain the health and wellbeing of the cats. Once all of this is done, one of the staff members will lead you to an open table and your journey will begin!
One of the most important things to remember at the café is the fact that you should let the cats come to you – don’t go chasing them around the room. While many accuse cats of being “aloof” and “unfriendly,” you’ll quickly find out that they are curious creatures who love to play and cuddle with you, but only on their own terms! The staff members will give you your menu, a list of rules to follow in the café, and even a little “kaleidoscope” with information on each of the cats! You are free to wander around the café to see the different cats, but as I said before, it’s much easier to let them come to you.
Now onto one of the most important things about a café – the refreshments. Luckily for you, the food and drink at the café are absolutely delicious! With options ranging from simple teas and coffees to full meals and salads, there is something for everyone. My personal favorite thing to get is the iced café mocha as it is perfectly refreshing while also being sweet enough to count as a little “sweet treat” for the day. Be sure to keep an eye on your food as some of the cats (particularly Grisou) enjoy trying to steal customers’ food and drink when they’re not looking!
While the Ronron Café is slightly more expensive than other cafés in Reims (drinks range from around 3 to 5 euros), not only are you paying for your meal, but you’re also helping the Ronron Association feed and take care of many cats and continue to help them find homes! Since its opening, Ronron Café has helped 88 different cats find families! Even if you can’t adopt a cat yourself, there are opportunities to volunteer at not only the café but the association itself.
During my time as a regular at the café, I have fallen in love with many different cats. It is a bit sad to watch them go once they’ve found a home, but knowing that they have a loving family brings joy to my heart whenever update photos are posted by the Café and the cat’s new owners. One man, who adopted one of my favorite cats (a one-eyed adorable old cat named Merlin), has even sent me updates on Merlin’s life.
Ultimately, the Ronron Café is not just about petting cats and sipping tea. It’s about forming connections with other cat-lovers who are dedicated to helping the furballs find forever homes in Reims. We spend time helping the cats get accommodated to humans, making it easier for them to be adopted when people are looking for friendly cats.
The Ronron Café is open 7 days a week, usually from around 12h to 19h (with an exceptional opening on Saturdays until 21h). Check on the Café website to see the current hours or if there are any special events you might be interested in.
Ronron Café Address: 37 Rue de Vesle, 51100 Reims
The reservation link for the Ronron Café is here (reservations are recommended as the Café tends to fill up very quickly): https://app.tablein.com/widget?restaurant_id=1274340
