Writing a letter to your ‘future self’ has long been used as a tool for self-reflection and personal growth. And now, a café in Paris is inviting customers to pen their own message to themselves — which they will then deliver to you in one, five or even 20 years’ time. Café Pli is the self-proclaimed ‘first letter café in France’, encouraging customers to ‘confide in yourself with an open heart’. It was opened after the founder, Geneviève Landsmann, discovered a café on a trip to Korea where people also wrote letters to themselves.
The adorable experience at the branch, located in the République District of the romantic capital, starts from just £12. 📍café pli #paris #parisfrance. It’s pretty simple. Over a coffee and a croissant (when en France) you pick a postcard, and write yourself a letter. There are cute stickers and pens, to make your letter as aesthetically pleasing as possible, and even cards to help inspire you writing.
Once you’re done, you pop it in an envelope and seal it with wax, before dropping it in one of the boxes lining Café Pli. Then, if you want your letter within the year, you can pick an exact date. But if you’re playing the long-game, and opt to receive your note in five or 20 years time, you’ll get it at the beginning of the relevant year. Worried about your letter going missing? A spokesperson for Café Pli assured Metro they’ve got that covered.
‘All letters are carefully stored in a secure location within the café,’ they explain. ‘They are organised by their scheduled mailing date and patiently wait for their moment to be sent to their recipient.’. So, you simply just wait for it to arrive. You can even opt to send it to a loved one, rather than yourself. The concept is adorable, but 20 years is a long time — luckily, there are some contingency plans in place.
‘If you change your address, you can update it directly on our website,’ says the spokesperson. ‘We’ll make sure your letter reaches you, no matter where you are.’. And if the worst happens and Café Pli closes? ‘We’ve got it all covered!’ they say. ‘If Café Pli were ever to close its doors, the letters would be entrusted to a reliable person who would ensure they are sent as planned. Your words will always find their way…’.
The price varies on when you want to receive your letter, and where you’re sending it. Every letter-writer gets a postcard, envelope, three stickers, wax, writing materials to use and one drink from the menu. If you chose to send it within a year, this costs you €15 (approximately £12). It’s €25 for five years, and €45 for 20 years. If you’re sending outside of France, you’ll need to add an extra €4 to the price.
Melissa Amale, an NYC based lifestyle TikToker recently posted about Café Pli, and her video went viral, with more than 540,000 views. ‘Oh my goodness I love this,’ wrote one commenter. While another added: ‘Wait this is a MUST for me next time in Paris.’. Others called it ‘wonderful’ and ‘beautiful’, and one commenter said that writing letters to herself had been a monumental experience.
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