For the last few months, Boston and Cambridge have had a decidedly European flair as both cities allowed restaurants to spill outdoors and set up dining terraces on the streets. Restaurateurs embraced the chance to spread out and lure diners back. Most planned and decorated their terraces with style and diners jumped at the chance to get out of the house and out of the home kitchen. On weekends, Hanover Street in Boston’s North End seemed like a giant block party with especially good food.

Alas, the party has started to fizzle as New England’s weather inevitably turns colder. So we were heartened to learn that Restaurant Strong Winterization Grants are going to help restaurants in Boston (as well as Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia) stretch the outdoor dining season with funds for outdoor heaters and other amenities that might take some of the chill out of the air.

Taking a leaf from the Parisian book

Those of us in cold climes should follow the example of the folks in Paris. When we visited the City of Lights last January to take advantage of the famous semiannual sales, we expected winter weather. On the first morning, the TV newscast scroll pronounced the temperature not merely cold, but glacial. It was, in fact, about 32°F (0°C)—milder than what we would expect at home. But that was at least 10°F colder than seasonal averages for Paris.

The café-loving Parisians, however, were undaunted. Seats at outdoor cafés were in as high demand as they might be on a sunny day in June. True, the 2007 ban on smoking in restaurants and cafés accelerated the trend toward year-round outdoor dining. Moreover, restaurants and cafés have become creative with outdoor warming devices. It’s also true that a bowl of cheese-topped onion soup or a cup of hot chocolate does a lot to chase the chill.

The French devotion to eating on the sidewalk goes much deeper. It’s all about attitude and the sense of style that pervades all aspects of Parisian life. French women are masters at accessorizing. It’s seems second nature to throw on a fashionable coat and top it with a chic scarf tied just so, and perhaps a hat or pair gloves. Once you have your look down, why would you want to sit inside? It’s much more fun to socialize outdoors where you can see and be seen.

Here are some photos to inspire us all to eat and laugh in the face of the cold.