A Look at Là-Haut Coffee, the Bicycle Café Bringing Lao Coffee to Bordeaux

We speak with founder Hiy-Ling Nathalie Lao about Southeast Asian coffee, ethical sourcing, and the beauty in being mobile.

BY SARAH CHARLES
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE

Photos courtesy of Là-Haut Coffee

In the heart of Bordeaux, France, Hiy-Ling Nathalie Lao, founder of Là-Haut Coffee, pedals through the city on her custom-built coffee bike, delivering ethically sourced coffee and what she calls “doses de bonheur” (doses of happiness). Instead of operating behind a counter like many of her peers, she has chosen a different path.

For Nathalie, Là-Haut isn’t just a café on wheels—it’s a mission. “I wanted to honor and connect to my roots by sharing a part of my heritage through bringing Lao coffee to France,” she says. “Southeast Asian coffees are generally underrepresented in the European market. I hoped to not only introduce people to a great coffee but also to make Laos better known and appreciated.”

Hiy-Ling Nathalie Lao, founder of Bordeaux-based mobile café Là-Haut Coffee.

Coffee from Laos remains rare in France, even among specialty roasters. But through Là-Haut, Nathalie is changing perceptions, sparking curiosity about a region often overlooked in global coffee narratives. “People are often surprised and some even ask me if coffee really grows in Laos!” she says, laughing. “It leads to lovely conversations. Many share memories of traveling there, and together, we revisit those moments through coffee.”

Coffee is one of Laos’ most important agricultural exports and a key contributor to the economy. In 2023, Vietnam imported over 12,190 tons of Lao coffee, making up 81.4% of Robusta exports and 50% of the country’s total coffee exports. The U.S. imported just 0.02%, and Europe 1.5%.

Coffee from Laos remains rare in France, but through Là-Haut, Nathalie hopes to change perceptions and spark curiosity.

Lao coffee farmers face challenges including reaching buyers in high-potential markets, improving quality management, increasing productivity, and strengthening the sector’s organization. But through online auctions and focused entrepreneurship from both the producer and consumer sides, Lao coffee is finding its place overseas.

A Different Way of Doing Business

From the start, Nathalie knew she wanted to challenge conventions. “I guess I’ve always had a thing for being different,” she told Barista Magazine. “At first, I wanted to open a traditional café, but after traveling in Southeast Asia and seeing all these mobile vendors, I changed my perspective. I loved the idea of bringing coffee directly to people, of creating an open-sky coffee bar that could move and adapt.”

Today, Là-Haut Coffee has become a familiar presence in Bordeaux’s markets and neighborhoods, a small but radiant coffee hub on two wheels. The bike is a conscious choice. “When I started my coffee journey, I had left a previous job where I no longer found meaning,” Nathalie says. “Choosing the bike felt obvious; it represents freedom, openness, and connection. It allows me to meet people where they are, without barriers.”

Her business model intertwines sustainability, ethics, and joy. Là-Haut’s beans are sourced from a cooperative of smallholder farmers in Laos, where Nathalie ensures fair pay and direct relationships. “Serving ethically sourced coffee was never optional,” she says. “It’s at the very heart of Là-Haut Coffee.”

A close-up of Nathalie Lao, founder of a Bordeaux mobile cafe, serving coffee from her coffee cart.

“I loved the idea of bringing coffee directly to people, of creating an open-sky coffee bar that could move and adapt,” Nathalie told Barista Magazine.

Cultivating Joy as Resistance

Running a mobile café comes with its share of challenges: the unpredictable Bordeaux weather, technical issues, and the physical labor of cycling long distances. Yet Nathalie’s motivation runs deeper than convenience. “I think most people feel the world could use more warmth, kindness, and connection,” she says. “Through Là-Haut, I wanted to create small moments of joy—genuine encounters that remind us of what really matters.”

That spirit of connection sustains her. “When I give, I also receive back,” Nathalie says. “That energy has carried me through four years on the road. For me, distributing these doses of happiness is already a form of resistance and hope.”

Her online community, too, plays a vital role. Through Instagram, Nathalie shares behind-the-scenes moments, from visits to Lao farms to her bike breaking down, turning even the tough days into stories of resilience and authenticity.

The Road Ahead

Asked about her dreams for Là-Haut, Nathalie’s answer is simple yet profound: “To keep delivering those doses of happiness, staying true to my values, and fulfilling my needs,” she says. “For my customers, I want every cup to bring joy and care. For the farmers in Laos, I hope for recognition, pride, and better livelihoods.”

Nathalie Lao rides her bicycle coffee cart through the streets of Bordeaux, France.

“When I give, I also receive back,” Nathalie adds. “That energy has carried me through four years on the road. For me, distributing these doses of happiness is already a form of resistance and hope.”

As France’s coffee scene evolves, Là-Haut Coffee stands as a reminder that specialty coffee isn’t only about precision and technique. Heart, connection, and the desire to do things differently—and ethically—also matter. This is a lesson that Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s often has often shared, and how he built a global, well-loved ice-cream brand.

Sometimes, all it takes to brighten a day is a smile, a bike, and a really good cup of Lao coffee.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Charles (she/her) is a senior editor and writer who makes sense of the world’s messiest systems—climate, trade, culture, food—through sharp storytelling, fresh angles, and analysis. She translates global politics and economics into stories that show how they shape our daily lives, and vice versa. You can reach her at sarahcharlz@gmail.com.