Café René

The Café René is a fictional French café in a British sitcom, 'Allo 'Allo! broadcast on BBC One from 1982 to 1992, which ran for 85 episodes.^[1] The series is set in the French town of Nouvion, in Nazi-occupied France in the early 1940s.

The café is owned by René François Artois, the main character of the story. It is frequented by the German forces. René has to be polite to them, but also has to be careful not to be seen as a collaborator. The local commandant, Colonel Von Strohm, his assistant Captain Hans Geering, and his secretary Private Helga Geerhart often visit the café. Von Strohm is on good terms with René, but exploits the café to hide a stolen painting (the oft-mentioned Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies by Van Klomp) which he plans to sell after the war for his retirement.

Unfortunately Adolf Hitler also wants the painting and has sent Gestapo agent Otto Flick to find it. But the Germans are not René's only problem. The French Resistance, led by Michelle, force him to hide two bumbling British airmen in the café, and all the time René must keep secret from his wife his long-running affairs with his two waitresses or risk losing his cherished café.

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