Découvrez la Terrasse du Coupe-Chou en Happy Hour à partir du 2 mai 2008. Une Terrasse calme et agréable, située dans l'une des plus vieilles rues de Paris, au centre du Quartier Latin, entre Notre Dame de Paris et le Panthéon, à deux pas de la Sorbonne et de la rue Mouffetard.

Horaires du Happy Hour durant le mois de Mai 2008 :
du lundi au samedi en continu de 15h à 18h.

Pendant le HAPPY HOUR, toutes les boissons sont à tarif réduit et jusqu'à 50%*.

Attention, nous sommes fermé les 1er, 8 et 12 mai 2008.

* hors bouteilles de vin ou champagne et digestifs.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

Les journalistes du journal de 13h de France 2 sont passés l'un des premiers soirs "entièrement non fumeur" du restaurant Le Coupe-Chou.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

[...] Depuis sa création en 1962, cet établissement, discrètement ouvert sur l'étroite rue de Lanneau, cultive le goût de l'authentique, chinant chez les antiquaires les meubles et les bibelots qui redonnent à cette ancienne maison du XVIIe siècle le charme du vieux Paris.

Le comédien Christian Azzopardi, l'un des fondateurs de l'établissement, en a fait au fil des années une demeure élégante composée de sept pièces et salons différents. Parmi ceux-ci, la "Concièrgerie" avec ses fauteuils de velours, ses bergères et ses petits guéridons, où vous vous arrêterez avec délice le temps d'un apéritif ; ou encore la "Bibliothèque", où l'on vous servira le couvert dans ambiance très cosy.

Côté cuisine, "Le Coupe-Chou" perpétue la tradition : foie gras de canard maison et sa gelée au porto, tartare de légumes sur coulis de tomates fraîches, magret de canard aux pêches et pommes darphins, carré d'agneau à la menthe et sa julienne de légumes. [...]

Belle carte des vins.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

Pour La Revue, Jimmy Carter, Jean d'Ormesson, Driss Basri, Pascal Lamy… ont déjà accepté de se « mettre à table ». Au sens propre comme au sens figuré : libres de leurs propos et de choisir « leur » restaurant. Cette fois, Juliette Morillot avait pour convive, au Restaurant Le Coupe-Chou, le « père » de notre ancêtre Lucy. Yves Coppens, Paléontologue, professeur au Collège de France.

«Vous savez, je n'ai guère de temps. J'ai une tête de mammouth sur les bras, la petite cousine de Lucy, un bébé australopithèque dont je dois m'occuper et une soirée avec Jacques Chirac pour l'ouverture officielle du tout nouveau Haut conseil de la science et de la technologie [créé en juin dernier] ! Mais retrouvons-nous au Coupe-Chou, derrière le Collège de France. C'est un peu ma cantine ! »

Au Coupe-Chou – trois anciennes demeures bancales blotties dans un entrelacs de ruelles, au flanc de la montagne Sainte-Geneviève –, Yves Coppens est chez lui. L'endroit est sombre, exigu, chauffé par d'énormes cheminées. Nous remontons le temps à travers un dédale de salles et d'escaliers qui fleurent la cire, la pierre humide et les tentures passées, et rejoignons le paléontologue dans un petit salon meublé de bergères et de guéridons anciens, la Conciergerie. Un jour indécis filtre à travers les fenêtres, au ras des pavés mouillés autrefois foulés par Ronsard, Du Bellay ou le roi Henri IV accompagné de la belle Gabrielle d'Estrées…

Nous sommes dans le ventre de Paris, au coeur de l'Histoire, au-dessus de thermes galloromains. « Plus anciens encore que ceux de Cluny, précise Yves Coppens, une coupe de champagne à la main. Ils datent de 170 après Jésus-Christ. » Un sourire moqueur se dessine dans sa barbe. « Comme j'ai toujours adoré les os, j'ai été enchanté d'apprendre, lors des fouilles dans le quartier, qu'une boucherie était autrefois installée le long de l'ancienne voie romaine, l'actuelle rue Saint-Jacques ! J'ai toujours été attiré par l'histoire, les voyages… Du côté de ma mère, nous sommes bretons… quoique je finisse par en douter, depuis qu'un de mescollègues d'Oxford, venu un jour me gratter l'intérieur de la bouche, m'a affirmé que ma
mère n'avait rien de breton ! » Il rit, repose sa coupe et s'installe confortablement dans un fauteuil de velours vert sombre. Yves Coppens raconte. Avec la maestria du professeur au Collège de France, habitué à expliquer avec simplicité et précision, mais attentif à toujours emporter son auditoire, le surprendre et l'amuser.

« Ce savant d'Oxford, spécialiste de l'analyse de l'ADN mitochondrial, a déterminé sept grands ensembles de peuplement de l'Europe. À en croire l'ADN trouvé dans mes prélèvements buccaux, ma gentille maman viendrait d'Asie ou du Caucase ! Ce genre de recherche n'est pas toujours très apprécié : les Américains s'en montrent friands quand on leur découvre des ancêtres normands ; mais dès qu'on leur parle de racines africaines, les choses se gâtent ! On touche là à des domaines sensibles : l'anthropologie, loin d'être anodine, peut prendre des allures politiques. La technique d'analyse de l'ADN mitochondrial sur les Amérindiens a permis de mettre en évidence un peuplement de l'Amérique via le Pacifique et le détroit de Béring. Il y a une dizaine d'années, les États-Unis ont étouffé la découverte, du côté de Seattle, d'un squelette montrant des origines caucasoïdes laissant supposer d'anciennes migrations par l'Atlantique. En effet, comment expliquer aux Indiens, même sous couvert de science, qu'ils n'étaient peut-être pas les premiers ? »

L'oeil d'Yves Coppens frise de ces tours que la science peut jouer aux hommes. « Toujours est-il que dans la maison de mon enfance, à Vannes, régnait une atmosphère vraiment bretonne. J'ai rêvé devant ces cartes postales sur lesquelles ma grand-mère rédigeait ses voeux : des car tes du Caire, de Bombay ou d'Alexandrie, rapportées par ses frères marins. Enfant, je clamais haut et fort : “Quand je sera grand, je sera soldat nègre !” Ma mère me rétorquait : “Soldat, tu pourras, nègre, non.” Ce fut ma première grande frustration ! J'aimais aussi les châteaux forts, Carnac et ses pierres levées. Une vraie passion chevillée au corps ! À chaque anniversaire, mes parents m'offraient le plus beau cadeau du monde : une pièce de monnaie romaine… »

Yves Coppens sourit, heureux d'évoquer son enfance, sa mère pianiste concertiste, disparue trop jeune, à 47 ans, son père physicien, spécialiste de la radioactivité des roches, qui le fit tomber tôt dans « la marmite » en lui parlant de ses travaux sous l'autorité d'Irène Joliot-Curie. « Il évoquait souvent, devant ma sœur et moi, une certaine Zoé qu'il […]

Pour lire la suite, procurez-vous La Revue.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

Pour les amoureux du temps passé, des poutres et chandelles, Le Coupe-Chou garde tout son charme historique et culinaire.

Restaurant de nuit sous d'authentiques poutres et pans de bois anciens, sur dalles de même ; cheminée en garantie de flambée, débridés d'escaliers dans des maisons hors d'âge d'une étroite rue du vieux Paris : le genre passait pour disparu en même temps que les films de cape et d'épée. Mémoire pour mémoire, cette cavalcade du XVI e au XXI e , le savoir d'une villa romaine découverte en dessous puis comblée, le souvenir d'une rôtisserie réputée il y a quatre siècles pour ses têtes de veaux farcies, l'évocation de ce berger logeant ses chèvres au cinquième étage, le rappel du barbier traitant ses clients au coupe-chou, ont de quoi y nourrir la conversation. D'avoir été ouvert par des comédiens, ce qui l'avait rendu incontournable en ces années 60, semblerait renvoyer inexorablement ce lieu à l'émission « Perdu de vue ». L'évoquer ressemblerait à un appel à témoins. La tendance et la mode ne s'éclairent certes plus depuis longtemps à ces bougeoirs aux stalactites de cire, mais les tête-à-tête, oui.

Paradoxalement, des jeunes la perdent encore pour un endroit pareil tout comme les « rétrod'âges ». Le labyrinthe de multiples petites salles étalonnées brocantes et antiquités, un salon balzacien inventeur du lounge avant l'heure, mènent à d'autres temps. Montée sur un solide terroir qui n'a pas oublié ses qualités rustiques, la carte pique des deux, entre vieux plats et très prudentes révisions, sans ruer dans les brancards. œ uf cocotte, gésiers confits et foie gras, terrine, saumon mariné à l'aneth, magret aux pêches, filet de bœuf au poivre, carré d'agneau à la menthe, bourguignon petits lardons et oignons, gratin dauphinois et flan de courgettes, île flottante sur crème anglaise, apportent, en prenant leur temps et selon une grande honnêteté, ce que l'on attend d'eux. Le reste est affaire d'ambiance. La place se veut d'Histoire, guère prête à être oubliée. Il y a ainsi de ces parenthèses…

Philippe Couderc
Paris - Le Nouvel Observateur.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

Un mois après le passage du Coupe-Chou en restaurant entièrement non fumeur, voici le reportage et interview d'Europe 1. Un client du restaurant et Fabien Azzopardi ont répondu à leurs questions, à écouter :

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

Les journalistes de TF1 et de Patrick Poivre d'Arvor sont venu le 31 janvier pour faire un reportage.

En effet, nous avons décidé de ne pas attendre l'interdiction totale de fumer le 1er janvier 2008 dans tous les restaurants. A partir du 1er février 2007, le restaurant Le Coupe-Chou sera donc entierement non fumeur.

Nous espérons que vous serez nombreux à apprécier cette nouvelle disposition.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

Le restaurant Le Coupe-Chou est devenu entierement non fumeur le 1er février 2007. Les seules fumées que nous respirons à présent dans notre restaurant sont celles de nos cheminées.

Nous avons décidé de ne pas attendre l'interdiction totale de fumer le 1er janvier 2008 dans tous les restaurants.

Nous espérons que vous serez nombreux à apprécier cette nouvelle disposition.


>> Reportage télévisé de TF1.
>> Reportage télévisé de France 2.
>> Reportage radiophonique de Europe 1.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

In early 1973, a phenomenon began to take shape. An incredible triumph for the Parisian theatre world.

One night in January, around half past 11, three huge names of the theatre paid a visit to the Coupe-Chou. These were Jean Poiret, Michel Serrault and Pierre Mondy. They were accompanied by Jean-Michel Rouzière, who was the manager of the Palais-Royal back then. Poiret, Serrault and Mondy were regular visitors to the Coupe-Chou… but that night they would be staying until six o'clock in the morning!

They were busily rehearsing a play which would mark the return of this famous duo. The play in question was of course "La Cage aux Folles", which went on to enjoy an unprecedented level of success, and which has never since been rivalled. "La Cage" would run for five consecutive years at the Palais Royal followed by two years at the variety theatres.

Back then of course, no one could have guessed that such overwhelming success was just around the corner. Not even the theatre manager, who had already scheduled another play for the following season. What's more, the masterpiece was far from finished at this stage. There were still a number of problems to be sorted out and "La Cage" wasn't ready for the big time just yet.

The team continued to hold their working sessions at the Coupe-Chou.

Poiret requested "a back room, where we can get some peace and quiet". Naturally, we gave them the Bibliothèque (the library) to use. After all, where better to get on with some serious work than in a library! They still needed to fine tune the final act for the play.

Combining work with their meal, Poiret and Serrault improvised the now famous rapid-fire wisecracks that left countless audiences in stitches over the next seven years.

What's more, Serrault rehearsed his role in the restaurant, gradually slipping into the character of Zaza Napoli, as he developed those languid looks and fluttering eyelashes as he made eyes at the man seated at the next table, who naturally began to get worried. The unfortunate client finally whispered to the restaurant managers, Christian Azzopardi and Francis Nani:

"Has Serrault gone gay?"
"No, he's working"
"Oh. Well that's some weird job he's got!"

And the client turned back to his meal, while Serrault continued winking at him provocatively.

For his part, Mondy was often deep in thought. He would discuss costume design with Jean-Michel Rouzière.

"Serrault's dresses just aren't right… nor the wigs. Sorry, Michel, but you're just too attractive. You almost look like Edwige Feuillère. It's back to the drawing board I'm afraid".
"Will who do you want to look like… Yvette Horner?" asked Serrault, feigning indignation.
"Don't worry, you won't need to take accordion lessons!"

Over in his corner, Rouzière was not a big eater. A manager down to the last, he was busily calculating how much this dress incident was going to cost him. What he didn't know however, was just how much all of this was going to bring in. Such are the highs and lows of the artistic world! The manager also had other concerns:

"Look folks", he said, "the title just isn't right!"
Poiret looked worried: "what's wrong with La Cage aux Folles?"
"It's vulgar! And what's more we'll have all the gay community up in arms over this. We need something funnier but also a little more elegant".

"Any ideas?"
Rouzière's eyes lit up. He was clearly expecting this question. With a little smile of self contentment, he finally exclaimed:
"Yes, we should call it… "Fart"!

Mondy, who was in the process of bringing his fork up to his mouth stopped dead in his tracks. Poiret's eyes bulged and Serrault was speechless. No one was quite sure what to say next.

But Rouzière was not done yet: "Fart! That's hilarious isn't it? But with an exclamation mark of course!"
"With an exclamation mark?"
"Yes"…
"Oh well, of course with an exclamation mark, that changes everything!"
"It's funny isn't it? Isn't it? Well it was just an idea…."
"And what were you saying about Michel's dress, Pierrot?…" interjected Poiret.

In short, Rouzière's idea wasn't adopted. In fact the title is still free today if there are any takers!

That evening, the working session went on until six o'clock in the morning. Alone in the restaurant, they put the finishing touches to "La Cage aux Folles". Christian Azzopardi and Francis Nani didn't get to bed until the following morning, but then again it's not every night that legends are created…. and it's not in any old restaurant either!

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

The Coupe-Chou hasn't always been what it is today, a huge building with small, steep corridors leading on to a multitude of small rooms brimming with history. Back in 1962 when the restaurant was first opened, it had only a single room known as the "Barbier" and which is today situated in the very heart of the establishment.

Work continued after the restaurant was opened, and although the single restaurant area already had the charm for which it is now so famous, where the other aspects of the establishment were concerned, all kinds of improvisation went on back then.

Clients who had not booked in advance had got into the habit of waiting for a table in a cellar, which was no more than one metre sixty in height. Thus, they patiently waited their turn there, half stooping, and this despite the fact that the restaurant never refunded physiotherapy costs! It seems that half of Paris beat a track to the restaurant's door, for the pleasure of waiting for a table doubled up in one of the capital's oldest cellars. This alone was one of the early signs of the restaurant's success.

One evening, with the cellar full to capacity with future back-trouble victims, a gaggle of regular customers came into the Coupe-Chou including our long-standing friend Francis Joffo, Jean Le Poulain and Robert Hirsch. These great stars of the French theatre scene had decided to introduce none other than Marlene Dietrich to the fine fare to be enjoyed in our restaurant!

The Coupe-Chou was in a state of panic: we needed to provide a fitting welcome for this great lady and international star. More than a success, we wanted this to be a triumph! But first we had to find them a table. Sending her to stoop in the cellar was absolutely out of the question! Fortunately, a table became free and we seated our national and international stars next to the fireplace, keen to ensure that everything was perfect right down to the last detail for the great actress.

But suddenly, just to prove that this happens to great stars too, she asked where the toilets were. At which point the three previously ecstatic managers Francis Nani, Francis Lemonnier and Christian Azzopardi literally turned pale. They tried to gain time. Someone gave her an aperitif. Once again she asked for the toilets, so instead they brought over some appetisers. She now asked a third time and obviously this time there was no getting out of it. Fearing the worst, the three managers of the Coupe-Chou (who had now suddenly become very silent) pointed the way to the toilets.

As I mentioned, work on the restaurant wasn't really finished and improvisation was the order of the day. Marlene Dietrich was about to discover an example of such improvisation at first hand.

You see, the restaurant didn't really have any toilets as such. Instead we used those in the building. Back then, the apartments in working-class areas didn't have all mod cons by any stretch of the imagination, and in 1962 the Latin Quarter was definitely not the middle-class area it is today.

To get to the toilets, you had to go out into a small inner courtyard. It was pouring with rain, and the "Blue Angel" got her wings wet trying to reach a worm-eaten old door, which didn't reach right down to the ground, meaning that the lower part of the occupant's legs were on display for the whole world to admire. She looked like Causette.

The great Marlene opened the door and discovered the "must have" feature of all great establishments: Turkish-style toilets! Oh yes, for some reason those communal toilets were always horrible "hole in the floor" affairs.

Meanwhile, the three managers (Francis, Francis and Christian) had now turned whiter than the napkins on the tables. Moments later, the door from the courtyard opened and Marlene Dietrich proclaimed loudly in her inimitable German accent: "It's fantastic. That reminds me of the bombing during the war!" She found the whole experience amusing, and the evening was saved, with the three managers slowly recovering their normal complexion.

Despite this, Marlene came back again, although it always seemed that she had taken her precautions beforehand!

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

Starters

Coupe-Chou Salad with Tomatoes, Lardoons, Croûtons and Boiled Egg 12,50 €
Duck Terrine and Foie Gras with Onion and Cassis Confit 12,50 €
Salmon Fillets Marinated in Dill 15,50 €
Fresh Vegetable Tartar on Fresh Tomato Coulis 15,50 €
Salmon, Prawns and Avocado on a Bed of Fresh Spinach 15,50 €
Chef's Special Fresh Foie Gras in Port Wine Aspic 18,50 €
Oven-Baked Aubergine Gratin with Fresh Tomato Coulis 12,50 €
« Barber's Favourite» - Baked Egg with Tarragon Cream Sauce 12,50 €
Scallops in Puff Pastry on a Bed of Fennel 17 €
12 Burgundy Snails 19,50 € (or 6 Burgundy Snails 14 €)

* * *

Main courses

Escalope of Salmon with Tarragon Cream Sauce 19 €
Duck Confit with Auvergne Apple and Mushrooms 19 €
Beef Bourguignon with Lardoons and Baby Onions 20 €
Steak Tartar with Potato Pancakes or Dauphinois Potatoes 19 €
Magret of Duck with Peaches and Darphin Potatoes 20 €
Fillet of Provençal Monkfish with Diced Tomatos 23 €
Rack of Lamb with Fresh Mint and Vegetable Julienne 24,50 €
Pepper Steak, Tomato Provençal, Fresh Spinach and Dauphinois Potatoes 24,50 €
Normandy Veal Medallions with Tagliatelle 24 €

* * *

Cheese

Selection of Three Cheeses 8 €

* * *

b[uDesserts]u]b

Chef's Special Chocolate Mousse 7,5 €
Selection of Sorbets and Ice Creams 8 €
Island Floating on Crème Anglaise 7,5 €
Crème Brûlée 7,5 €
Three Chocolate Marble Cake on Crème Anglaise 8,50 €
Red Fruit Gratin Baked with Sabayon 8,50 €
Chef's Special Mille Feuille 9,50 €
Sologne Apple Tart with Crème Fraîche 9,50 €


Tous nos prix comprennent le service à 15% sur le TTC et la TVA à 19,6%.
Document non contractuel, susceptible de modifications suivant arrivage

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

Starter + Main course Proposition
à 18 € au déjeuner
à 26 € à partir de 19h

* * *

Starters
« Barber's Favourite» - Baked Egg with Tarragon Cream Sauce
Coupe-Chou Salad with Tomatoes, Lardoons, Croûtons and Boiled Egg
Duck Terrine with Onion and Cassis Confit


Main courses
Escalope of Salmon with Tarragon Cream Sauce
Duck Confit with Auvergne Apple and Mushrooms
Steak Tartar with Potato Pancakes or Dauphinois Potatoes





* Includes : service at 15% and TVA at 19,6%.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

In the mid-1960s, the Coupe-Chou had already developed a notable reputation, with the likes of Pierre Brasseur, Brigitte Bardot, and Louis de Funès often coming here to dine under the establishment's 16th century exposed beams.

However, other surprises lay in store for the restaurant's three managers. One day the telephone rang (always a good sign for a restaurant!). It was the Danish Embassy, who asked us to reserve our best table for a prestigious guest: Princess Margrethe, heiress to the Danish throne. A table for two was required, as she was coming here for an intimate meal to celebrate her engagement to Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, a Frenchman and future Prince Consort. The couple later married on June 10, 1967.

To welcome a Princess Royal at the Coupe-Chou was a glorious moment in the history of the restaurant, and as everyone knows, glory (just like luck) comes to those who deserve it! So the three managers decided to put on a big spread. And when you're looking to put on a big spread, you pull out all the stops!

They began by purchasing flowers and shrubs which were tastefully displayed on the tables, in the corridors and along the facade of the restaurant. The overall effect was certainly charming, but the managers were keen to add a little personal touch too. So they decorated all of the windows in the building, from the first-floor to the top floor, with the Danish flag. The restaurant was literally covered with flags. I'm not sure if it can be described as discrete, but it certainly didn't go unnoticed!

Next, they started planning the ultimate finishing touch. There was no point in doing things by halves, and so while they were at it the three managers also decided to lay on the red carpet treatment for their illustrious guests. But when I mention the "red carpet treatment", I'm speaking literally, as they rolled out a beautiful red carpet running from the Coupe-Chou down to the bottom of the street, running for a length of 15 m. All unbelievable but true.

If the Princess was keen to enjoy an intimate meal, she certainly succeeded.

That evening, a Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of the carpet and the couple got out. The Princess was, it seems, fairly touched by this rather excessive tribute by the restaurant's three young managers. She walked majestically up the red carpet, and broke into a smile when she saw the flags of her country, before dining with her fiancé. And then she left, just as she had entered, walking once again down the red carpet, giving the distinct impression that all of the world's restaurants automatically rolled out a red carpet to welcome her. That's nobility for you.

The evening was certainly a memorable one and also had its repercussions. The newspapers reported the event, which became the talk of Paris itself. To such an extent in fact that 15 days later the Swedish embassy also phoned the Coupe-Chou. They explained that an "important" person would be coming to celebrate a birthday. Once again the restaurant became a whirlwind of pandemonium and excitement. News of Margrethe's dinner had reached King Gustav VI of Sweden. It was vital not to disappoint him and so once again new bouquets of flowers, new shrubs and new flags were ordered! And believe me, finding those Swedish flags was no easy matter! Once again, the red carpet was rolled out.

As evening fell, the three young managers were naturally on the lookout for their famous guest when a 2 CV pulled up in front of the carpet, and two women dressed in modest grey suits stepped out. When they saw the fabulous decor awaiting them, they started to cry.

"Oh, thank you so much! It's really too much!"

It was the secretary from the Swedish embassy, and she had come along to celebrate her birthday with her sister. She spent the whole evening thanking everyone and crying. As you can imagine, no one dared tell her the truth. What's certain, is that the secretary from the Swedish embassy enjoyed a magical evening here. Every year she sent the Coupe-Chou her best wishes for the New Year, and each year it seemed that the New Years card cried a little too, in memory of that very special birthday evening.

I don't know if Margrethe of Denmark remembers our restaurant, but I'm sure that the secretary from the Swedish embassy hasn't forgotten us.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

When writing these anecdotes, I asked my father to share his memories of some of those amazing moments throughout the life of the Coupe-Chou since 1962, the year the restaurant opened. This was an incredible year, one which unfolded to the songs of Claude François, and which saw the stirrings of so many changes around the world. These changes really came to a head in 1968, but even the turbulent year of '68 required a little preparation!

It's funny to think that some years are particularly rich in new events, births, or deaths while others just seem to tick by unnoticed. It was in 1962 that my father and his two partners Francis Nani and Francis Lemonnier opened the Coupe-Chou. It was in 1962 that their future lives would be decided forever. This was a great year for history, for art, for music but also a great year in our personal lives. A year in which momentous international trends and events combined with a major turning point in our personal lives.

It was in this year, 1962, that the Beatles recorded their first single: "Love me do". It would certainly be true to say that these four trailblazing musicians ushered in a new era in the history of music. They generated mass hysteria among their fans, and in order to be able to travel around after their concerts they constantly needed to come up with new, ever more imaginative ruses. The kids of my generation know the story by heart. We were still too young to understand the emotion surrounding Lennon's murder in 1980, but today who can't be familiar with the Beatlemania of the 1960s, which remains impressive even for those of us who weren't there.

So when my father told me that in 1965 Bruno Coquatrix phoned him to tell him to get ready for the arrival of the Beatles at his restaurant following their concert at Olympia, my eyes obviously lit up! The Beatles at the Coupe-Chou! And in 1965…. at the peak of their career!

So I asked him: "How did they arrive? How did they behave? Were there lots of fans waiting for them outside?". In short, I literally bombarded him with questions about them. There was simply no way I could not write about the Beatles' visit to our restaurant.

Upon which, he told me the whole story. That year, that evening, the three managers of the Coupe-Chou were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Fab Four. And back in 1965, the Beatles could not do otherwise than make a dramatic entrance. The three managers saw a "salad shaker" approaching the restaurant. No, not a huge plate of vegetables, but a "salad shaker" in the French sense of the word, i.e. a police van.
The van in question came to a halt just in front of them. Christian Azzopardi looked puzzled, and said to his partners: "what's going on? I hope there's no trouble in the area. The Beatles will be here soon!". More worried looks were exchanged as the rear door of the police van opened. And then…. the three managers of the Coupe-Chou saw John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Star and George Harrison step out. They had escaped the hysterical crowds at Olympia by slipping away in a police van!

We seated them at an upstairs table.
"And what did they eat then Dad?" (I asked, continuing to pump my father for information)
- "How do you expect me to remember, it was 40 years ago!" - he told me.
- "But can't you remember anything special, I don't know, the attitude of the clients, whether they caused a rumpus, or anything like that. After all, it's the Beatles!"

I needed plenty of material to be able to recount my anecdote. I wasn't just going to scribble down that one evening back in 1965 at around 11 p.m. the Beatles had a peaceful meal at the Coupe-Chou just like anyone else. I need something exciting!

- "No, I don't think so…." - replied my father."Ah, yes, I do remember that they asked for milk".
- "Milk?"
- "Yes, milk".
- "Why do they want milk?"
- "To go with their meal".
- "They drank milk during their meal?"

I was flabbergasted! It just didn't seem to fit the image we had of them. Milk at that time of the evening, after a huge concert! It was just unbelievable.

- "But the problem", continued my father, "was that the restaurant wasn't accustomed to serving milk. We had to hunt all round the area at midnight to try and find a few litres…. which they drank and then asked for more, which meant that we had to run around again to try and find some extra bottles at short notice!"
- "Brilliant!"

I now had my anecdote. The Beatles had arrived at the Coupe-Chou in a police van and celebrated their success with bottles of hard-to-find milk! Already, in my head I was imagining my father and his partners dashing around the other restaurants, waking up the neighbours and the family: "Sorry for waking you, but I really need some milk, it's for the Beatles!"
And I can imagine the reaction from those in front of him, still half asleep and in their nightshirts, faced with a restaurant owner trying to beg milk for John, Paul, Ringo and George! My imagination was in top gear now, busily visualising all sorts of comical scenes. And I asked my father:

- "I hope it was a decent vintage of least?"
- "Hold on"
- "What's up?"
- "Now I come to think of it, it might have been the Rolling Stones instead".
- "Sorry?"
- "The thing with the bottles of milk, I think it was with the Rolling Stones".
- "Are you having a laugh? The bad boys of rock drinking milk! That's even more unbelievable than the Beatles!"
- "Yes, that's it, and wasn't in the 1965 but during the 1970s."
- "It all sounds a bit confused if you ask me. Are you sure it was the Stones and not the Beatles?"…
- "I can't remember any more. Ask Francis". (NB: Francis Nani). "In any case, they all visited the restaurant".

I watched as my story became ever vaguer. What could I really write with any certainty? A story about the Stones or the Beatles? These are two legendary groups, and is probably because of this that my father is no longer sure exactly who did what. But I needed to be certain, before writing any of this down!

- "And the police van…. was that the Stones or the Beatles?"
- "The Stones! No… the Beatles. Oh, I can't remember any more. As I told you, they've all been here. In any case, when McCartney came back here recently he asked to dine at the same table, up on the first floor. Of that I'm sure".
- "Terrific, I replied with a blasé air about me. I can certainly make something sensational out of that!"

The Beatles years and the Rolling Stones years
Whether it was the Stones, the Beatles or the Compagnons de la Chanson, it doesn't really matter. What matters are those special years, those slightly crazy years, even if we may sometimes get them muddled up. What matters are the years still to come and which may be even more amazing and even crazier. When all is said and done, whether it was the Stones or the Beatles who turned up in a police van and drank milk all evening, it doesn't really matter.

For my part though, I would still love to know! Perhaps one day, the Stones or the Beatles will jog our memories for us.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

The Coupe-Chou is an elegant Louis XIII listed building, discreetly facing out onto the narrow, picturesque Rue de Lanneau on the slopes of Montagne Sainte Geneviève, near the Collège de France, the Sorbonne and the Contrescarpe. It enjoys a wonderful setting, among the historical houses of Old Paris, each with their own tale to tell.

An excellent time awaits you, whether in the dining room with its attractive dark green patinized walls revealing the building's historical half-timbered structure, in the Conciergerie, a lounge featuring deep and extremely comfortable velvet armchairs, wing chairs and small occasional tables, in the Barbier room which has retained its charming red floor tiles, its fireplace, its exposed beams and its timber frame, in the library, in the winter garden or in the Saint-Hilaire.

Are you a company or a private client looking to organise a special event?

* Corporate anniversaries, cocktail events
* Annual general meetings
* Press conferences
* Congresses, conventions and seminars
* Product demonstrations or tastings, etc
* Commemorative events
* Receptions, prize-giving ceremonies
* Photo sessions, filming sessions (filmed for television programmes)
* Birthday, communion, baptism or wedding meals
* Stag or hen parties
* Receptions for friends and family
* etc.

For groups of 15 to 130 people, for dinner or room hire. Certain areas lead out directly into the street and therefore offer independent access.

Please feel free to contact us for further information:
mail@lecoupechou.com

You can read groups menus :

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

Eva Longoria réconciliée. Quelques jours après avoir annoncé sa rupture avec Tony Parker, Eva Longoria, l'héroine de "Desperate Housewives", a pris l'avion pour Paris afin de rejoindre le basketteur de son coeur. Ce jour-là, Tony Parker entrait au musée Grévin. Les retrouvailles ont été officialisées à Bercy, lors du match de gala entre les Spurs de San Antonio et le Macabi Tel-Aviv. Le couple a ensuite partagé en dîner aux chandelles au Coupe-Chou (Ve). Au menu ; foie gras, escargots, escalope normande, le tout arrosé d'un sancerre. Un détour par le VIP Room, puis retour aux Etats-Unis. L'entourage assure que cette escapade les a aidés à "recoller les morceaux". On parle même d'un mariage au printemps... Alain Grasset.

Eva Longoria & Tony Parker Rekindle Romance

There are signs of hope in the relationship of Tony Parker and Eva Longoria, whose split last week seemed only to last, well, a split second, PEOPLE reports in its new issue. "They're trying to work things out," Longoria's rep, Liza Anderson, tells the magazine. "There is a genuine love there." During a recent romp in Paris – where point guard Parker was playing in exhibition games with the San Antonio Spurs – the couple took in the sights, partied at the VIP Room and dined at the famed Le Coupe-Chou. Longoria, 31, and Parker, 24, met in November 2004 and, though they played coy at first, by August 2005, the Desperate Housewives star confirmed they were a couple, asking PEOPLE rhetorically, "What's not to like?". But last month, Anderson, responding to reports of a rift in the relationship, told PEOPLE, "Eva and Tony are going through a very difficult time right now, just like any other couple with extremely demanding careers." Then came Paris.
"The trip seems to have rekindled everything," one close source tells PEOPLE. For now, at least, "Everything seems good," adds a Parker teammate. "He's really hooked on her."

Source : http://people.aol.com/people/article/0,26334,1544862,00.html

Eva Longoria et Tony Parker, en plein bonheur. Tout semble aller pour le mieux, pour Eva Longoria et son compagnon depuis 18 mois, Tony Parker, depuis leur escapade parisienne. Un dîner en tête à tête au restaurant parisien, Le Coupe-Chou et une balade en amoureux, le long de la Seine, ne sont pas étranger à ce nouveau bonheur. « C'est comme avant leur dispute. C'est l'amour véritable » a déclaré Liza Anderson, l'attachée de presse de l'actrice.

Source : http://www.pipole.net/15815-eva-longoria-tony-paker.html

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

Le Coupe-Chou est un restaurant élégant classé Louis XIII, discrètement ouvert sur l'étroite et pittoresque rue de Lanneau, au flanc de la montagne Sainte Geneviève, près du Collège de France, de la Sorbonne et de la Contrescarpe, il a pour cadre ces maisons anciennes du Vieux Paris dont on aime se rappeler l'histoire.

Que ce soit dans la salle à manger aux murs patinés de vert sombre où se dessine l'ancienne ossature à pans de bois, dans la Conciergerie, salon aux profonds fauteuils de velours, bergères et petits guéridons, dans la salle du Barbier qui a conservé ses tommettes, sa cheminée, ses poutres, ses colombages, que ce soit dans la bibliothèque, le jardin d'hiver ou le Saint-Hilaire...

Vous êtes une entreprise ou un particulier et vous souhaitez organiser un évenement spécial (précédé ou suivi d'un repas) :

• Anniversaire d'entreprise, Cocktail,

• Assemblée générale,

• Conférence de presse,

• Congrès, Convention, Séminaire,

• Dégustation ou démonstration de produit,

• Evénement commémoratif,

• Réception, Remise de prix,

• Repas d'anniversaire, de communion, de baptème, de mariage,

• Enterrement de vie de jeune fille ou de jeune homme,

• Repas familiale ou entre amis,

• etc.

De 15 à 130 personnes, certains espaces donnent directement sur la rue et donc indépendement accessibles.

Pour toute information, n'hésitez pas à nous contacter :
Fabien Azzopardi
Tél : 01 46 33 68 69
Mail : fabien@lecoupechou.com
Web : http://www.lecoupechou.com

- http://www.lecoupechou.com

(English version)

Au milieu des années 60, le Coupe-Chou commençait déjà à avoir une renommée certaine, et Pierre Brasseur, Brigitte Bardot, Louis de Funès venaient souvent dîner sous les poutres du 16ème siècle.

Cependant, les trois directeurs n'étaient pas au bout de leur surprise. Un jour, le téléphone sonne, ce qui est toujours bon signe pour un restaurant. C'était l'ambassade du Danemark. Il faut trouver la meilleure table pour un hôte de marque : la princesse Margrethe, héritière du trône. Une table pour deux couverts, elle vient fêter ses fiançailles « en amoureux » avec Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, un français, futur prince Consort. Le couple s'est effectivement marié le 10 Juin 1967.

Une princesse royale au Coupe-Chou, c'était vraiment la gloire, et la gloire, c'est comme la chance, ça se mérite ! Alors, les trois directeurs ont décidé de mettre les petits plats dans les grands. Et quand ils décident de mettre les petits plats dans les grands, ils ne lésinent pas sur les moyens.

Ils ont commencé par acheter des fleurs, des arbustes qu'ils ont disposés partout. Sur les tables, dans les couloirs, devant la façade du restaurant. C'était charmant, mais il fallait personnaliser cet accueil. Alors, ils ont décoré toutes les fenêtres de l'immeuble, du premier jusqu'au dernier étage… avec des drapeaux du Danemark. Le restaurant était couvert de drapeaux. Je ne sais pas si c'était discret, mais ça devait faire son effet !

Puis, il fallait bien couronner le tout. Impossible de faire les choses à moitié. Alors, pendant qu'on y était, les trois directeurs ont déroulé le tapis rouge. Mais quand je dis qu'ils l'ont déroulé, ils l'ont déroulé concrètement : un beau tapis rouge de l'entrée du Coupe-Chou jusqu'au bas de la rue. 15 mètres de tapis rouge. On n'invente pas une chose pareille.

Si la princesse voulait dîner dans l'intimité, c'était réussi.

Le soir, une Rolls s'arrête devant le tapis et le couple descend. La princesse était, je crois, assez touchée par le geste un peu excessif des trois jeunes directeurs du restaurant. Elle a foulé majestueusement le tapis rouge, elle a souri en découvrant les drapeaux de son pays et elle est allée dîner avec son fiancé. Puis elle est repartie foulant une dernière fois le tapis rouge, un peu comme si tous les restaurants du monde déroulaient systématiquement des tapis rouges pour l'accueillir. C'est sans doute cela la majesté.

La soirée fut mémorable et elle eut un certain retentissement. Les journaux en parlaient, et mieux, Paris, lui-même, en parlait. Si bien que 15 jours plus tard, l'ambassade de Suède téléphone au Coupe-Chou. Une personnalité « importante » doit venir fêter son anniversaire. Nouveau branle-bas de combat. Le roi de Suède, Gustave VI, a entendu parler du dîner de Margrethe. On ne pouvait pas le décevoir. Alors, nouveaux bouquets, nouveaux arbustes, nouveaux drapeaux ! Et il fallait les trouver, ces drapeaux suédois ! Et on déroule de nouveau le tapis rouge.

Le soir, les trois jeunes directeurs se sont mis à guetter. Et s'arrête, devant le tapis, une Deux-Chevaux. Et descendent, deux dames à l'allure modeste et au tailleur gris. Elles découvrent le décor et se mettent à pleurer.

« Vraiment merci, mais c'est trop !»

C'était la secrétaire de l'ambassadeur de Suède. Elle venait fêter son anniversaire avec sa sœur. Et elle a passé la soirée à remercier tout le monde en pleurant. Impossible, vous l'imaginez, de lui dire la vérité. Elle a passé une soirée magique, la secrétaire de l'ambassadeur de Suède. Et tous les ans, elle a envoyé ses vœux au Coupe-Chou, et il me semble que tous les ans, la carte de Vœux pleurait à son tour au souvenir de cette soirée d'anniversaire.

Je ne sais pas si Margrethe du Danemark se souvient de notre restaurant, mais je suis sûre que la secrétaire de l'ambassadeur de Suède ne l'a pas oublié.

- http://www.lecoupechou.com