The Worldly, Historic, Marrakech-Born 1910 Bacha Arabica Coffee Arrives in Paris
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In 1910, Marrakech was a city of significant cultural and political importance, particularly under the leadership of Thami el-Glaoui, the influential Pasha of the region. Not yet under French rule, which officially arrived in 1912, Marrakech was a hub of political, intellectual and artistic activity in 1910.
Marrakech has a strong reputation for its coffee houses due to the historical importance of Bacha Coffee, a cafe that opened in 1910 within the Dar El Bacha Palace. It was considered the highest authority on the coffee experience in Marrakech and hosted dignitaries like US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, UK's Prime Minister Winston Churchill, filmmaker Charlie Chaplin and entertainer Josephine Baker.
Josephine Baker at Riad Star in Marrakech
As a French citizen in her adopted country of France, Baker lived for four years in the Riad Star, now a boutique hotel in Marrakech, as a guest of the aforementioned Pasha of Marrakech, Thami el-Glaoui.
Ordered to Morocco in January 1941 to set up a liaison and transmission center in Casablanca, Baker was the most conspicuous spy the French Resistance could ever hope to manifest. In her absolutely-original personality and social stature, it was impossible to imagine Baker as a threat to the Third Reich.
Bacha Coffee in Paris
Fast-forward to now, and the history and reputation of Arabica coffee served at Bacha Coffee can be experienced in Paris at 26 Av. des Champs-Élysées. In a testament to grandiosity, this three-floors, 1500 sq. meters, undeniable temple of Arabian coffee rivals all we know about the ‘memorable before it even opens’ Louis Vuitton Hotel, under construction at 107 Av. des Champs-Élysées in Paris.
We are continuing this story with a deep-dive on the new flagship Bacha Coffee Experience in Paris — and also locations in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, along with Kuwait, Malaysia and Republic of Korea. For today, AOC shares four images from the new flagship Bacha Coffee via SortiraParis.com.
