The most reputed of literary cafés of the 18th century….
The Procope was known not only for its ice creams and coffee, but also for its unique ambiance.
When the French comedy theatre was settled not far from the café in 1689, the Procope quickly became a place for the rendez-vous of literary and theatre critics, writers and philosophers.La Fontaine and Marivaux also frequented it.
It was the most renowned literary café of the 18th century. It was also at Café Procope that Beaumarchais came to hide out while waiting to know how the public would receive his first representation of the Marriage of Figaro that was playing at the Odeon.
It was at the Procope where the idea to create an encyclopedia took place during a conversation between Diderot and Alembert.Meetings and exchanges between regulars such as Voltaire, Rousseau, etc. gave birth to the liberal and progressive ideas of the 18th century.
Revolutionary café then Romantic café
Several years later it was here where revolutionary ideas were exchanged. Robespierre, Danton, Marat got together here often. Subversive ideas borned here that caused the downfall of the monarchy. The printers where Marat edited the revolutionary newspaper, “Friend of the People,” were situated just behind the café. It is said that the decision to attack the Tuileries was made at Procope in June 1792.
It was also here that the first red revolutionary beret appeared; where
Benjamin Franklin wrote a chapter for the American constitution.
Many years later, the Procope became the haunt of the early Romantics. Patrons could run into George Sand, Alfred de Musset, Balzac, Hugo and Théophile Gautier regularlhere. The Café Procope maintained its reputation as a literary hangout for three centuries, welcoming literary geniuses such as Verlaine and Oscar Wilde.
