Literary Cafés in Paris: A Guide in the Footsteps of Writers

Literary Cafés in Paris: A Guide in the Footsteps of Writers

Paris and its cafés have maintained a passionate love affair with literature for centuries. From Montparnasse to Saint-Germain-des-Prés, these mythical venues have witnessed the birth of major works, forged philosophical movements, and been the stage for the exchange of ideas that shaped the 20th century. More than mere establishments, the literary cafés of Paris are living chapters of our history.

These terraces and secluded rooms are not museums; they are stages where the animated conversations of Ernest Hemingway, the philosophical debates of Jean-Paul Sartre, or the inspiration of Simone de Beauvoir still resonate.

For the book lover, traversing Paris is like walking through a novel. This guide is an invitation to push open the doors of these emblematic addresses and experience an authentic literary journey in the heart of the capital.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés: The Intellectual Heart of the Left Bank

After World War II, the 6th arrondissement became the epicenter of intellectual and cultural life. It is here, in what would be called the "golden triangle" (formed by Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Rue de Rennes, and Rue des Saints-Pères), that Existentialism was born and where literary Paris reached its peak.

Le Flore and Les Deux Magots: A Philosophical Duel

True institutions, these two emblematic cafés face each other and have engaged in a friendly rivalry for decades. Choosing a side was an affirmation of one's sensibility.

• Le Café de Flore (172 Bd Saint-Germain): It is inseparable from the legendary couple Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. In the freezing cold of Occupied Paris, they would settle in from nine in the morning to enjoy the coal stove. Le Flore became their actual "office." Settled upstairs, they wrote major works there, such as The Blood of Others or Being and Nothingness. The café was also the meeting place for Guillaume Apollinaire, who held his "Soirées de Paris" there long before them.

• Les Deux Magots (6 Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés): While Sartre and Beauvoir also frequented it, Les Deux Magots was historically the bastion of the Surrealists, led by André Breton. Before the war, the café had already attracted great writers and painters from Paris and beyond, such as Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, and Picasso. To assert its independence from the prestigious Prix Goncourt, the café established its own literary prize in 1933, the Prix des Deux Magots, which annually rewards a new and audacious voice.

Le Procope: At the Source of the Enlightenment

Founded in 1686 by the Sicilian Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, Le Procope (13 Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie) is none other than the oldest café-restaurant in Paris. Long before the Existentialists, it was the philosophers of the Enlightenment who wore down its benches. Voltaire was a regular, reportedly sipping dozens of cups of coffee a day. Diderot and Rousseau passionately debated there, and it is even said that chapters of the Encyclopédie were sketched out within its walls. Later, during the Revolution, the café became the headquarters of Danton, Marat, and Robespierre. Stepping into Le Procope is tracing the thread of French intellectual history.

Montparnasse: The Epicenter of the Roaring Twenties

If Saint-Germain was the intellectual heart of the post-war era, Montparnasse was the artistic center of the world in the 1920s. The "Années Folles" (Roaring Twenties) saw an influx of artists and writers, particularly Americans, fleeing Prohibition. They formed what Gertrude Stein dubbed the "Lost Generation."

The Vavin Crossroads: La Rotonde, Le Select, and La Coupole

The Vavin crossroads was the veritable beating heart of the district.

• La Rotonde (105 Bd du Montparnasse): This was the "canteen" for often penniless artists. The owner, Victor Libion, would let them sit for just a coffee and sometimes accepted a drawing or a sketch as payment. This is how the walls became covered with works by Picasso, Modigliani, and Soutine.

• Le Select (99 Bd du Montparnasse): Opened in 1923, it was the first café in Montparnasse to stay open all night, becoming a haven for night owls. Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Henry Miller spent countless hours there.

• La Coupole (102 Bd du Montparnasse): Inaugurated in 1927, this immense Art Deco brasserie is a monument in itself. It symbolizes the pinnacle of the Montparnasse era. Its famous pillars were painted by 27 artists of the time, some linked to the School of Paris, testifying to the incredible creative effervescence of those years.

Beyond the Myths: The Latin Quarter

While Saint-Germain and Montparnasse capture most of the spotlight, literary Paris is not limited to them. The Latin Quarter, home to the Sorbonne, has always been an intellectual hub. Its most famous emblem today is undoubtedly the bookstore Shakespeare and Company (37 rue de la Bûcherie). The current establishment, founded by George Whitman in 1951, is the spiritual heir to Sylvia Beach's original bookstore. Located on Rue de l'Odéon, it was she who had the audacity to publish the first edition of James Joyce's Ulysses in 1922, at a time when the work was censored in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Your Literary Stay from Le Tourville

To walk in the footsteps of these writers in Paris, choosing your base is essential. Hôtel Le Tourville, ideally located in the 7th arrondissement, offers a perfect blend of tranquility and proximity.

Nestled in an elegant, residential neighborhood, our boutique Hotel in Paris 7th places you just minutes away from the intellectual hustle and bustle of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and a short metro ride from the mythical Montparnasse. You can thus enjoy the calm of the Left Bank while remaining close to the action.

After a day spent reshaping the world at Café de Flore or strolling past the booksellers along the Seine quays, you will return to the comfort and refined atmosphere of your room at Le Tourville.

This exploration of Paris's literary cafés is an immersion into the city's creative soul. It is an invitation to sit where they sat, order a coffee, and let the inspiration flow.

Book your stay at Le Tourville and make our hotel the starting point for your unforgettable literary journey in Paris.