Founded in 1686, now a restaurant, formerly a café, originally a sorbet specialist, Le Procope is said to be the oldest continually operating eatery in Paris (some say in Europe, and Le Procope itself says "in the world": it's worth taking several minutes to go around to the front on Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie to read this and other gems on its historically supercharged plaque). Voltaire's desk is here. Many of the Founding Fathers frequented the place; indeed, when Benjamin Franklin, one of its most prized customers, died, Le Procope was draped in black. Later, the French Revolution was plotted here, partly because Georges Jacques Danton, one of its leaders, lived nearby (when you leave the passageway and cross to the other side of Boulevard Saint-Germain, look to your left and you'll see a statue of Danton on the former site of his residence). Another reason Le Procope was a Revolution hotspot is that it was one of the only places in Paris to find a newspaper and thus keep up with current events.

Sidestep # 1

If you're facing Le Procope, turn left and walk back several steps to the tearoom at number 4-6-8, on the opposite side of the passageway. 

Look through the plate-glass window and you'll see a semi-circular structure in pinkish and yellowish stone. This is a watchtower of the defense wall built around Paris between 1190 and 1220 by Philippe Auguste. Where you are standing was once outside the western boundary of the city. Since the few remaining vestiges of the wall are historic monuments and thus can't be destroyed, newer buildings, such as this, must be built around them.

Sidestep # 2

If you're facing the tearoom, turn right, walk back past Le Procope a few steps, then look at the white plaque above number 9, on the same side as Le Procope.

This is where a carpenter named Schmidt made the first guillotine in 1792. Stories vary as to who designed it. Although Dr. Guillotin didn't invent the guillotine, he promoted it as a quick and thus humane means of execution. Isn't it interesting that the contraption came to be known by his name as opposed to that of its creator? Otherwise, we might be saying that the king and queen were schmidted!

FLASH QUIZ: When did the last guillotining take place in France?

ANSWER: Amazingly, 1977.

Before we leave the passageway, one last historical note: as the Schmidt plaque notes, at number 8 was the printing house where in 1793 - the year the Reign of Terror began - Jean-Paul Marat, another French Revolution firebrand, launched the newspaper called L'Ami du people (The People's Friend).