@matigo Indeed, and the trend seems to be — with a few notable exceptions, of course — that the people I got to know in Paris are the kind I should never make reservations for; almost everyone I know in HK and Edinburgh I always make reservations for.
And it's quite clear to me that the university in Paris tends to attract a certain kind of person.
Ah well. Nice day to hang around anyway, with 3 hours before I need to be at the train station.