Café de Flore

            I've already told you about Café Deux Magots and now it's time to tell you about its rival, counterpart, and historical partner: Café de Flore. Built in 1887 on the corner of Boulevard Saint-Germain-des-Pres and Rue St. Benoit, Café de Flore has hosted numerous patrons and movements throughout the years. Supposedly, it was where Surrealism was born. People such as Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir were known to sit there for days.

Outside at Café de Flore (My apologies for the photo quality)

            In 2012, with its red booth interiors, mirror-paneled walls, and copious amounts of wraparound outdoor seating, Café de Flore often sees the likes of the world's elite. One person of extreme interest to me: Karl Lagerfeld.

            As of this moment, I have frequented Café de Flore twice. Both times I sat with a café creme (a.k.a. coffee with milk), that cost me €5.50, for approximately two hours. Thus far I have not seen Mr. Lagerfeld.

            However, on my last visit, my friend and I chose to sat inside rather than outside; the people watching is great. The tables along the inside wall with windows are all reserved. If you're looking out through the main door of the restaurant from the inside, the manager sits at the far right table with a stack of papers. Taking phone calls on occasion, he has a view of the kitchens and the rest of his café. When people (to whom the reserved tables belong) arrive, they greet him and chat for a while. We assume that they have to be important.

            My personal favorite find was an older couple. The man wore glasses, had a mostly white-haired head, and wore black. His partner in crime was a gray-haired woman, also in glasses, and also in all black. The two sat on the same side of their booth and drank coffee for an hour. Conversation was minimal to nonexistent and their faces did not show a single feeling. As quietly as they came, they left. They may sound boring, but they certainly piqued my curiosity. 

Café Creme

            As a final Café anecdote for the moment: Jefferson Hack (co-founder of Dazed & Confused magazine) bought a Café de Flore ashtray and uses it at home.