Tunnel Tuesday

 

 

One of Paris' oldest passages where the French Revolution was plotted and today headless ghosts roam on dark and stormy nights.

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 for two

 

Table in passageway behind Le Procope restaurant.