un direct (café)

[Zippety Doodah]

In "À Bout de Souffle" Michel Poiccard orders a coffee as "un direct". Does this just mean a coffee without milk, or is it a brand name perhaps?

 

[Borax Anhydre]

Never ever heard that in all of the cafés I used to go when in France. There is a brand CAFEDIRECT but it was fouded in 1991 and A bout de souffle was released in 1960. However, I feel Michel Poiccard wants a very hot coffee requiring no stop nor delay between the machine and him (not sure at all, just a try)

 

[Zippety Doodah]

Thank you. I've since found a few references to "un direct" in online articles about Tunisia, for example this one (WebCite archive here) explaining it as a local name for un café au lait.

 

[Borax Anhydre]

I am learning something from you. thanks!
Otherwise,
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Café_au_lait
states the following

• café au lait pour le café servi avec du lait (would be the "direct")
• café crème : café servi avec de la crème,
• café noisette : café avec une noisette de lait (spot of milk)
• café renversé : café servi avec plus de lait que de café