In the shadow of the iconic Eiffel Tower and the renowned Louvre, home to masterpieces like the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa, lies a historical treasure at 13 Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie in Saint-Germain: Café Procope.
Established in 1686, this café has played a significant role in history, witnessing the events of the French Revolution and the legend of mysterious black hat.
Entering Café Procope, visitors are greeted by high Baroque-style ceilings, marble tables, and gold-framed, foggy mirrors, as if they were being transported back to the 18th century.
In a display cabinet tucked into the corner of the room lies an old black hat—a Bicorne that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte. According to legend, the young Emperor left it as collateral because he couldn’t pay his coffee bill.
If you visit, try ordering a Croque Monsieur while enjoying coffee at a marble table. Picture Voltaire sitting at one of the tables, finishing his satirical novel, Candide, while drinking dozens of cups of coffee a day.
Don’t forget to take a photo near Napoleon’s hat—but don’t touch it! It is said that anyone who disturbs the artifact will share the Emperor’s fate: exile far from home. Napoleon spent his final years in seclusion on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean.
At Café Procope, the aroma of coffee mingles with the shadows of the past—the faint sound of Rousseau’s debates or the voice of George Danton planning the revolution. One can imagine a young Napoleon, still a poor officer, sitting there crafting his ambitions, or hurrying out of the café without his Bicorne hat.
The black hat peers out from the display case, observing the ever-busy visitors. Is it really Napoleon’s hat? Some claim that traces of the Emperor’s hair were found inside the hat during a 2012 DNA test, but others suggest it’s just a polished piece of history. Historians often doubt the hat’s authenticity, pointing out that Napoleon, known to be a perfectionist, would hardly have left behind one of his iconic military attributes.
Napoleon’s Bicorne hat remains at Procope, enshrined in a glass case and rumored to hold a curse. Many visitors have reported feeling “watched” when standing near the display. "He never came back to reclaim it," whispered a waiter.
Café Procope is more than just a spot for coffee. It is a portal through time, where every sip of coffee becomes a dialogue with the past. Perhaps you can still hear Napoleon’s whispers dreaming of reclaiming his throne, or the heated discussions of Danton and Jean-Paul Marat about revolution and social justice.
Every sip of coffee at Café Procope seems endless, while Paris keeps the secret of Napoleon's black hat in every last drop.
Arc de Triomphe, a monument built to honor the victories of Napoleon Bonaparte and his troops in various battles. Photo : Ade Kristanti-LIONMAG
BACA : Misteri Topi Napoleon Bonaparte
