Window Wednesday

A glimpse through history.

Restaurant Le Procope

 

Savory Saturday

 

 

Stepping into Le Procope, Paris’s oldest café founded in 1686 by Sicilian visionary Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, is stepping into a living museum of revolutionary ideas and literary brilliance. And it's a pretty fine restaurant too.

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Nestled in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, this iconic spot was the beating heart of the Enlightenment, where Voltaire sipped his legendary 40 cups of coffee a day, Diderot penned Encyclopédie entries, and Benjamin Franklin hashed out alliances that shaped nations. Its walls, adorned with 1830s “Liberty Equality” wallpaper - and even one of Napoleon’s hats - echo the French Revolution’s fervor. This is where Robespierre and Danton conspired, and where the Phrygian cap of liberty made its debut. It became a hub for intellectuals like Voltaire and Rousseau, fostering Enlightenment ideas.

Today Le Procope serves up classic French dishes like Boeuf Bourguignon and Baba au Rhum (above) alongside a storied past, crystal chandeliers and wrought-iron balconies (listed as historical monuments), casting a spell over intellectuals, artists, and curious diners alike. - BPJ

 Below: upstairs, tables and rooms can be reserved for private groups

 

 

Le Procope 

13 rue de l'Ancienne Comédie 75006

 

Table Tuesday

Two tables invitingly set for lunch in the passageway behind historical Le Procope.

 

Table for two

 

Table in passageway behind Le Procope restaurant.

Napoleon's hat

 

It is said that The Little Corporal couldn't pay his tab at this restaurant so he left this hat, now preserved for posterity.