How Zhou Enlai Drank Coffee at Paris’s Café de Flore

In the 1920s, while living in Paris and searching for revolutionary answers, a young Chinese student named Zhou Enlai found more than books and political theory—he found coffee. Like many expatriates of his era, he used cafés not just for caffeine, but for networking, writing, and observing the society around him. One of those cafés still stands today as a cultural monument: Café de Flore.

Zhou Enlai regularly visited Café de Flore near his lodgings in Paris’s 13th arrondissement during the early 1920s. He became friends with the waiter Pascal, who lent him money during tough times. Decades later, Zhou, then China’s premier, sent gifts in gratitude. The café, now a protected historical site, still recalls this unique chapter.

The Café de Flore: A Historic Parisian Intellectual Hub

Opened in 1887 at 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris’s 6th arrondissement, Café de Flore earned its name from a statue of the Roman goddess Flora that once stood outside. By the early 20th century, it had become a gathering place for artists, writers, and political thinkers. Over the decades, figures such as Pablo Picasso, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, André Breton, and even Leon Trotsky frequented its tables.

In the 1920s, it also attracted a younger crowd—including a Chinese political science student named Zhou Enlai. The future premier of China used the café as both a workspace and a window into French society. It was here, amid the clinking of cups and the hum of debate, that Zhou engaged with the intellectual currents shaping Europe.

Zhou Enlai’s Paris: Study, Work, and Coffee

Zhou lived for over two years in a small hotel at 15 Rue Godefroy in Paris’s 13th arrondissement. The location placed him near both his university and some of the city’s most vibrant café culture. While in Paris, he balanced his studies with investigative writing and social research. Coffeehouses like Café de Flore became essential to that routine.

According to oral accounts by Ye Xingqiu, president of the Association of Chinese European History, Zhou frequented Café de Flore near his residence. He wrote there and used it as a place to meet people. The café’s waiter, Pascal, took a liking to the earnest young Chinese man. When Zhou faced financial hardship, Pascal lent him money. Their friendship endured, and Zhou later, as China’s premier, sent Chinese cigarettes and tea to Pascal in gratitude. The story is still remembered at the café, which now holds cultural heritage status under French protection. A plaque at the site includes Zhou’s name among its notable patrons.

Other Paris Coffee Spots Zhou Visited

Beyond Café de Flore, Zhou also drank coffee at establishments near Paris’s Gare de l’Est train station. These cafés, though less documented, were part of the broader network of public spaces where Zhou observed French life and politics. They formed a key part of his daily rhythm as he worked to understand both Marxist theory and the practical conditions of European society.

Parallel Lives: Zhou and Deng Xiaoping in France

Zhou wasn’t the only future Chinese leader in Paris during this period. Deng Xiaoping, who arrived in France in 1920 at age 16, also spent years working and studying there. His journey took him from school in Bayeux—where he is recorded paying 18.65 francs in monthly expenses—to factory jobs in cities like Clermont-Ferrand and Montargis.

Deng worked at the Hutchinson rubber factory and later at the Schneider steel plant, and his employment records from the 1920s are preserved. He eventually labored in a shoe department at the Hutchinson factory, where his worker ID number was 5370. In 1926, he left France for Moscow. In 1997, French President Jacques Chirac presented Deng’s original work permit to China’s Jiang Zemin as a gesture of respect.

Café Culture and Political Thought in 1920s Paris

Paris in the 1920s was a global crossroads of radical thought. Political exiles, artists, and philosophers converged in its cafés, turning them into incubators for ideas. For young Chinese intellectuals like Zhou and Deng, these spaces offered more than refuge—they were classrooms for observing democracy, capitalism, and revolution in real time.

The cafés allowed them to practice political debate, test ideological frameworks, and gather the insights that would later inform governance back home. Zhou’s time at Café de Flore wasn’t just about writing or surviving abroad—it was part of a larger process of intellectual formation.

Preservation of Memory: The Legacy Today

Café de Flore remains open today and is classified as a French cultural heritage site. Its metal heritage plaque prominently features Zhou Enlai’s name among its notable historical visitors. The story of Zhou and the waiter Pascal is part of the café’s living history, passed down through generations of staff and patrons. Though Pascal has since passed away, the anecdote of the Chinese premier’s kindness and the waiter’s solidarity endures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where was Café de Flore located in Paris?

Café de Flore was located at 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris’s 6th arrondissement. It opened in 1887 and became famous for attracting intellectuals, including Zhou Enlai in the 1920s.

Did Zhou Enlai really visit Café de Flore?

Yes. According to oral history from Ye Xingqiu of the Association of Chinese European History, Zhou Enlai frequently visited Café de Flore near his residence in Paris’s 13th arrondissement during the early 1920s.

What was Zhou Enlai’s connection to the waiter Pascal?

Pascal, a waiter at Café de Flore, was sympathetic to struggling students. He lent money to Zhou Enlai during a financially difficult period. Later, as China’s premier, Zhou sent gifts of Chinese cigarettes and tea to Pascal in gratitude.

Which other historical figures visited Café de Flore?

besides Zhou Enlai, Café de Flore was frequented by Pablo Picasso, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, André Breton, and Leon Trotsky, cementing its status as a hub for intellectuals.

What did Deng Xiaoping do in France?

Deng Xiaoping arrived in France in 1920 at age 16. He studied briefly in Bayeux, worked in factories including Hutchinson and Schneider, and left France for Moscow in 1926 after years of manual labor and political activity.

Is Café de Flore still open today?

Yes, Café de Flore is still operating and is recognized as a French cultural heritage site. It continues to be a landmark of Parisian café culture.

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