Procope, the oldest cafe in Paris.

Procope, founded in 1686, is the oldest cafe in Paris, but its founder was not French, but Francesco Procopio Dei Coltelli from Palermo, Sicily, Italy.

However, the original Procope was not a coffee shop, but a high-class Turkish bath. After Procopio became the first owner of the cafe, he remodeled the bathroom, and his original decoration style, such as hanging mirrors on the wall and marble coffee tables, was copied by later cafes. At that time, the coffee shop popular hanging mirror, is from this coffee shop began, in addition to fashionable and gorgeous decoration effect, but also make the limited space in the coffee shop can be extended, through the different wall mirrors reflect each other, candle shadow projection, so that people produce a romantic illusion.

Three years after the opening of Procope, in 1689, Les Comédiens-Francais, France's first theatrical organization, moved into the building opposite Procope. At that time, there were 27 members in this theatrical organization. It was selected by King Louis XIV. Its status can be imagined. Procope became famous because of this, attracting many intellectuals and literary figures from Paris.

At this time, Paris, France, was brewing the trend of thought of democratic revolution. This pioneering Procope attracted great Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire, Diderot and Rousseau. The American Constitution was also pondered and perfected here by Benjamin Franklin. Once these geniuses sat here, they did not want to move any further. Voltaire also lent a royal marble table to the shop, which became his work desk and home, and even his sentences were on the toilet wall. Later guests included Napoleon, Victor Hugo...

Procopio is still open today, and there are many authentic historical works there. It is simply a "coffee museum" where you can order coffee!