Café Procope

Café Procope, the oldest café in Paris

The Paris audio-guided tour takes you through the Cour du Commerce-Saint-André, where Café Procope stands. This passage was built partly on the line of the old wall of Philip Augustus, one of the walls that ringed Paris over the centuries; a remnant of a fortification tower survives inside, at number 4.

A literary café since 1686

Café Procope has existed since 1686, making it one of the oldest café-restaurants in Paris. Over the centuries, it welcomed philosophers, writers and revolutionaries: figures of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution are named among its regulars. The place became a true symbol of Parisian intellectual life.

What there is to see

The Procope has kept a period decor, with its chandeliers, its woodwork and its historic mementoes. The Cour du Commerce-Saint-André, picturesque and cobbled, is also worth the detour for its charm and its remnant of the medieval walls. It is a dive into the Paris of the Enlightenment, in the heart of the 6th arrondissement.

Practical information

Café Procope is in the Cour du Commerce-Saint-André, reached from Rue Saint-André-des-Arts or Rue de l'Ancienne-Comédie, in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It is a working café-restaurant, which keeps its own hours; the courtyard can be crossed freely.

How long has Café Procope existed?

Café Procope has existed since 1686, making it one of the oldest café-restaurants in Paris, a symbol of the city's intellectual life.

What can you see in the Cour du Commerce-Saint-André?

You see Café Procope, old façades and a remnant of a tower of the wall of Philip Augustus, kept inside number 4.