Historia – English - Expériences colombiennes

A 300-Year History

AM OR Café, a journey of passion.

The Legacy: From Sacrifice to Consecration

It all began in 1723, when French naval officer Gabriel de Clieu carried the first coffee seedling to the Americas. On a heroic voyage, De Clieu shared his own water ration to keep the young plant alive. By 1730, those seeds had reached the slopes of the Colombian Andes, where volcanic soil and ever-present clouds created the smoothest, most aromatic coffee on the planet.

The Return: The Dream of
María Paula Ardila Pinto

Three centuries later, the cycle comes full circle. Anyone who thinks the social sciences are far removed from the land and the hearth forgets that humanity transforms itself in the pursuit of new rituals and flavors. That is why the great masters of flavor are, above all, storytellers, scholars of the social sciences, and travelers.

La Maison: A Treasure in Fontainebleau

In the heart of the royal town, at 56 Rue Aristide Briand, you'll find our Maison de Dégustation. An intimate space designed so that Bellifontains, visitors to the Château, climbers from the forest, walkers, artists, INSEAD students, and guests from across the Fontainebleau region can enjoy a full immersion in coffee culture, savoring the finest French coffee, roasted by María Paula with the best Colombian beans.

a journey of passion.

Qualified in Political Science and International Relations, María Paula arrived in France to pursue her Master’s degree in the Development of Vulnerable Populations, guided by the social awareness of someone seeking paths to help communities thrive. What she did not imagine then — and discovered years later — was that this sensitivity, cultivated alongside her father, Rodolfo, his wife, María Aurora, and the Transformemos Foundation to bring education to conflict-affected populations, would enable her to understand the infinite worth of her homeland.

In Colombia, 560,000 families received — as an unasked gift from the universe — the very seed that French officer Gabriel de Clieu brought to America in 1723, risking his own life. Today, these families produce the finest coffee in the world and stand as the protagonists of a quiet, beautiful, and peaceful revolution that has overcome poverty and transformed lives, producing a unique fruit filled with magic, capable of inspiring anyone who tastes it.

María Paula realised that if this magic had transformed the lives of so many, it deserved to be shared in its purest essence with anyone ready to open their heart and receive that vital energy. Yet to achieve this, Colombian coffee had to be treated for what it truly is: pure energy, selected in Colombia and roasted in Paris in batches of no more than 11 kilograms.

María Paula learned to transform every bean through an artisanal alchemy. Under her expert guidance and through French roasting techniques, 100% Colombian coffee is elevated to its absolute pinnacle. Thus, our three editions are born — Colibrí, Tapir, and Tatou —: a bespoke beverage created for you, the pride of Colombia and France.