Historic, Vintage, Cool (Paris)

By Karen Beishuizen

I have this thing for anything historic, vintage or cool. Especially when it comes to hotels, restaurants, diners, cafes and music venues. I want to show you landmarks around the world which are Historic, Vintage and Cool.

Let’s go to Paris!

Le Procope

Founded in 1686, the Procope is considered the oldest café in Paris, and was long the meeting place of Enlightenment philosophers such as Voltaire and Rousseau. Located in the Latin Quarter, the café is also famous for having been frequented by revolutionaries such as Danton and Robespierre. Today, it remains a must for lovers of literature and history, where you can almost feel the presence of literary giants of the past.

Le Procope was the first restaurant in Paris to introduce coffee and democratize it by offering table service in a porcelain cup.

The café’s influential historical patrons include Voltaire, Frédéric Chopin, Maximilien Robespierre, Napoleon Bonaparte, Victor Hugo, Benjamin Franklin, Honoré de Balzac, Thomas Jefferson, Jean-Jacques Rosseau and John Paul Jones.

The birthplace of the Encyclopédie, conceived by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d’Alembert, is said to be at Café Procope.

Inside the wallpaper is dating back to 1830 and stamped with “Liberty, Equality” which reminds us of the birth of the Republic, the correspondence between Corneille and Colbert recalls the great friendships among men of letters, and Marat’s bell represents the soul of the French Revolution.

Everything in this café is about to cherish the fond memories of history:

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen from 1789 covers the walls of one of the rooms, numerous original documents evoking the Revolution are hung on the walls, and “Citizen” and “Citoyenne” are respectively inscribed on the doors of the men’s and women’s toilets.

A prominent element of the café is Napoleon’s famous two-cornered hat:

Legend says the young officer, short on cash, left it behind as a promise to return and pay his bill. The café kept the hat, turning it into a piece of history and a symbol of Napoleon’s early ambitions.

During the 1789 Revolution, revolutionaries like Robespierre, Danton and Marat all used the café as a meeting place. The Phrygian cap, which became the French symbol of Liberty, was first displayed at Le Procope.

Today, Le Procope has preserved this historic atmosphere. As you enter, you’ll discover a tangle of period salons, chandeliers, wood paneling, busts of philosophers, period objects and revolutionary relics. The walls feature handwritten letters, quotations, antique engravings and nods to its illustrious regulars.

In summer, its hidden terrace, at the end of a discreet courtyard, lets you enjoy a quiet lunch, far from the hustle and bustle of Boulevard Saint-Germain.

A signature dish is the Bouillabaisse, a traditional Provençal fish stew.

The café is known for its desserts: Crème Brûlée and the Tarte Tatin.

If you ever find yourself in Paris, do yourself a favor and dine at Café Procope.

For more information, check out Le Procope’s website: Here

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