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Sign: Paris - Café Procope


Address:
13 Rue de l’Ancienne Comédie, 75006 Paris, France
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On the sign:
CAFE PROCOPE
ICI
PROCOPIO DEI COLTELLI
FONDA EN 1686
LE PLUS ANCIEN CAFE DU MONDE ET LE PLUS CELEBRE CENTRE DE LA VIE LITTERAIRE ET PHILOSOPHIQUE AVISE ET AU 18E ET AU 19E SIECLES.
IL FUT FREQUENTE PAR LA FONTAINE. VOLTAIRE. LES ENCYCLOPEDISTES. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. DANTON. MARAT. ROBESPIERRE. NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. BALZAC. VICTOR HUGO. GAMBETTA. VERLAINE. ET ANATOLE FRANCE.
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Comments:
The sign indicates the restaurant/café considered one of the oldest in the world and perhaps the oldest still in operation. The place, founded in 1686, hosted the greats of the French nation, from writers and poets such as Victor Hugo, Voltaire and the Encyclopedists, through the creators of the French Revolution such as Danton, Robespierre and personalities such as Napoleon and Benjamin Franklin.
It was here, during the French Revolution, that the Phrygian cap, which symbolizes freedom, was first introduced.

The place was photographed on the same day Click for a larger image
And the day before during the day Click for a larger image Click for a larger image

And photos from the place were taken on the same day Click for a larger image Click for a larger image Click for a larger image

The first page of the menu tells the story of the place:
LE CAFÉ DES REVOLUTIONNAIRES
Founded in 1686 by the Sicilian Francesco Procopio Dei Coltelli, Le Procope is considered as the oldest Coffe - Ice Cream Artisan in the capital. Nestled in the very heart of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, it was in fact the first restaurant in Europe to introduce coffee and to democratise it by offering table service in a delicate porcelain cup.

This mythical place quickly became a cherished haunt for the philosophers and writers of the Age of Enlightenment (such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire). History delights in recounting that it was within these very walls that the nascent concepts of Diderot’s Encyclopedia first saw the light of day.

The brasserie’s décor itself bears witness to the passage of these eminent personalities and the exchange of profound ideas. The wallpaper, originating from the 1830s, which emblaze with the historical values of the Republic, "Liberty" and "Equality," has since been supplemented to include the virtue of "Fraternity."

An array of historical objects (including furnishings, caryatids, treaties and written agreements) also imparts a remarkable testimony. The most peculiar undoubtedly being Napoleon’s bicorne hat, left as a pledge by the emperor himself to settle the debts incurred from his repast.

PROCOPE’S MENU

PHILOSOPHER’S MENU
Click for a larger image

Napoleon’s hat, mentioned on the menu as an item left as a pledge by Napoleon to pay his debts, is also on display in the restaurant.
Click for a larger image

Translation of the text on the sign:
CAFE PROCOPE
HERE
PROCOPIO DEI COLTELLI
FOUNDED IN 1686
THE OLDEST CAFE IN THE WORLD AND THE MOST FAMOUS CENTER OF LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL LIFE IN THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES.
IT WAS FREQUENTED BY LA FONTAINE. VOLTAIRE. THE ENCYCLOPEDISTS. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. DANTON. MARAT. ROBESPIERRE. NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. BALZAC. VICTOR HUGO. GAMBETTA. VERLAINE. AND ANATOLE FRANCE.

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