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Photos Bibent - © Rémi Deligeon38
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ABOUT THE RESTAURANT
LE BIBENT

The Restaurant Le Bibent is much more than just a culinary establishment; it's a veritable historical monument in the heart of Toulouse's Capitole district. Its history, spanning more than 150 years, has made it a privileged witness to the evolution of the city and its gastronomic traditions.

The beginning

Founded in 1861, LE BIBENT soon earned a reputation as a mecca for conviviality.

Le Bibent was the first café in Toulouse, perhaps in France, to offer draught beer. Located on the prestigious Place du Capitole, it attracted Toulouse's elite and distinguished visitors from the outset. Its name, which means "drink well" in Occitan, perfectly reflects the spirit of this emblematic place, where sharing good times and great company is always the order of the day.

Le Bibent in 1907

Postcard of the Place du Capitole, circa 1907. In the centre is Le Bibent.

A little history

Le Bibent in the 20th century

At the beginning of the 20th century, Jean Jaurès, who was town councillor and deputy mayor at that time, used to sit on Le Bibent's terrace to write his articles for the newspaper La Dépêche.
Ironically, our terrace was also where three Serbian students, enrolled at the Faculty of Arts and members of a Pan-Slavic secret society called "the Black Hand", plotted the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which took place in Sarajevo on the 28th of June 1914.
It's possible that they might have crossed paths with the pacifist Jaurès, sitting at a nearby table!

A prestigious establishment

Le Bibent building was listed as a historic monument in 1975 for its interior decoration.

Le Bibent's architecture and decoration are living testimony to its rich past. Its stucco decor, characteristic of the Napoleon III period, allowed the building's interior to be listed as a historical monument in 1975. Every corner of Le Bibent tells a story and every detail is imbued with the memory of the many guests who have walked through its doors over the decades.

The interior of Le Bibent.

Le Bibent’s interior decor at the time of its listing on the Monuments Historiques supplementary inventory on the 29th of October 1975.

Nowadays

Le Bibent today

Nowadays, Le Bibent keeps on cultivating excellence and conviviality. True to its roots, the restaurant honors the past while looking to the future. Its cuisine keeps building a tradition based on respect for seasons and local producers.

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Photos Bibent - © Rémi Deligeon28 (1)