Le Procope

"Pardon, Madame, my wife and I couldn't help hearing you speak with the waiter. Are you American?" I turned to reply to the well-dressed Frenchman having a quiet lunch with his wife next to my left elbow.

"Oui Monsieur. Je suis Americaine."

"Ah, we thought so...is this your first trip to Paris?"

My French skills almost exhausted, I answered in English: "No, this is my third trip, but it's the first time I've eaten here at Le Procope even though it's been on my 'to-do' list each visit."

He chuckled and replied, "My wife and I have lived in Paris for years, and this is our first visit as well!"

We continued to chat. Madame had visited the States three times; I loved Ste. Chappelle. They were so gracious to let me practice my French and even helped me with pronounciation. Monsieur shared the restaurant's Napoleon legend: As a young soldier, Napoleon ate here, but could not pay the bill. He left his hat as collateral, promising to return with money and reclaim the chapeau. The hat sits still in a glass case in the main dining room.

The waiter cleared my empty plate..the filets of beef with vegetables had been scrumptious, my glass of wine was drained. Monsieur offered: "Please share the last of our bottle with us!" With that he divided their remaining Bordeaux into our three glasses.

"A votre sante, Madame!"

"A votre sante, Monsieur!"

We raised our glasses to Franco-American relations which at that moment could not have been any better.

I recall this story every time I hear someone bashing the French for being cold and unfriendly. When's the last time strangers shared their last glass of wine with you in an American restaurant??

Pictures: above right...the backside of Le Procope

above left...the interior of the restaurant

More about this historic place in my next post.