When it comes to historic cafés, Paris undoubtedly takes the lead: there are so many of them, each brimming with poetry, that simply encountering them enchants you, even if you’re not a coffee enthusiast. Legend has it that the world’s oldest café, Le Procope, was born in Paris back in 1686. Almost every café has its own story that stretches far back in time, featuring some truly remarkable personalities, making it quite challenging to choose just a few to discuss.
Today, I’ve chosen to introduce you to three historic Parisian cafés that were once meeting places for artists, poets, writers, and intellectuals—each still retaining a touch of its former charm. All three are located in one of my favorite neighborhoods, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a stone’s throw from one another: two on one side of the boulevard and the third directly across the street. It’s a holy trinity where the stories seem to linger in the air, and history overwhelms you.
LES DEUX MAGOTS
More than just a café, Les Deux Magots is a legend—one that has remained vibrant for over two hundred years. Established in 1812, the café was initially located on another famous street in Paris, Rue de Buci, but in 1873, it moved to St. Germain, where it found great success. The site previously housed a simple shop selling various items, and the café’s name, Les Deux Magots, derives from “two Chinese figurines.” Gradually, it became a meeting place for much of the literary elite, frequented by personalities such as Paul Verlaine, Rimbaud, Mallarmé, André Gide, Jean Giraudoux, Picasso, Hemingway, and the surrealists of André Breton, as well as the existentialists Sartre and Beauvoir.
However, the café's significance extended beyond social gatherings: the vibrant atmosphere and the excitement among its patrons led to the establishment of the literary award “Les Deux Magots” in 1933, created as an alternative to the prestigious Goncourt Prize. Since then, the Les Deux Magots award has been presented annually in January, honoring unconventional works and quality writing.
Today, the café continues to attract personalities and artists from around the world, as well as ordinary people and tourists who come to enjoy the charm of the place and the emotions evoked by its overwhelming history.
CAFÉ DE FLORE
Just a stone's throw away from Les Deux Magots lies its lifelong rival, Café de Flore. If you were to ask two different Parisians which one they prefer, one would undoubtedly say Café de Flore, while the other would insist on Les Deux Magots. Both cafés are so deeply rooted in the history and culture of the city that every resident has their own preference. I couldn't choose, so I visited both. 🙂
The name Café de Flore is not coincidental; it comes from the statue of the Roman goddess Flora located nearby. Founded in 1887 during the Third Republic, Café de Flore also became a true institution by the end of the 19th century and especially in the 20th century. Apollinaire, the Dadaists of Tristan Tzara, and Malraux were just a few regulars. Later, Café de Flore grew even more popular, attracting painters, filmmakers, journalists, and intellectuals to its benches and chairs—not just for coffee. During World War II, the café in Saint-Germain-des-Prés became a genuine enclave of freedom, untouched by the German occupation, as German soldiers did not frequent it. Thus, intellectuals found a second home here. Jean-Paul Sartre recounts that they had a precise routine: they would arrive at 9 a.m. and work until noon, then go out for lunch, returning at 2 p.m. to continue working or discussing among themselves until evening, around 8 p.m., when they began to receive their scheduled meetings.
From Sartre and Beauvoir, the list of personalities has expanded over time: Picasso, Jacques Prévert, Juliette Gréco, Boris Vian, Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, and later, Brigitte Bardot, Alain Delon, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jane Fonda, and Yves Montand. The world of fashion has also made its mark at Café de Flore, with famous designers like Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Lagerfeld, Paco Rabanne, and Guy Laroche, as well as the models accompanying them. More recently, stars like Sharon Stone, Robert De Niro, Johnny Depp, Jack Nicholson, and Al Pacino have continued the magic of Café de Flore with their presence.
Café de Flore has established itself as a literary café, and naturally, it could not let Les Deux Magots overshadow it; it needed a literary prize of its own. Thus, since 1994, the café has awarded the Café de Flore Prize annually, a tradition initiated by writer Frédéric Beigbeder, aimed at encouraging young talent.
BONAPARTE și BRASSERIA LIPP
Behind them, without direct access to the boulevard but with a superb view of the charming square dominated by the church of the same name, lies Le Bonaparte. This spot is somewhat more secluded, and we might say it attracts a slightly more restrained crowd of tourists. Securing a free table here can be challenging, especially during lunch, but the wait is rewarded with a fantastic view, good wine, or perhaps, depending on your mood, a salade chèvre-chaud. Contrary to popular belief, the waitstaff here are remarkably friendly and courteous.
As you sip your coffee on the terrace of Café de Flore, just across the street, you’ll notice another legendary spot, roughly of the same age: Brasserie Lipp, founded in 1880 by an Alsatian who, longing for home, decided to sell sauerkraut and beer there. Thus, unlike its counterparts Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore, Brasserie Lipp doesn’t have a storied name. However, the tales written within its walls over the years make up for this lack.
In 1920, the brasserie was taken over by Marcellin Cazes, who completely redecorated it, transforming it into a fashionable spot that attracted renowned poets, writers, and politicians. Jean Cocteau, Albert Camus, Marcel Proust, and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry are just a few of the personalities who frequented this establishment.
Since 1935, Brasserie Lipp has also awarded its own literary prize, the Cazes Prize, given annually to an author who has not previously won any other awards in the field. Since 1990, the brasserie has been owned by the same proprietors who also own the famous Angelina, renowned for its tea and hot chocolate.
These cafés are not places you visit solely for the coffee; instead, they draw you in with their stories and history. The thrill you feel when you realize that the chair you’re sitting in may have once been occupied by Picasso, sketching his ideas, or by a famous poet, composing verses, is palpable. Perhaps, while lingering at one of the tables, you might even begin to write your own poetry, if only in thought.
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