Paris Muse

Ernest Hemingway, the American author, spent a lot of time in Paris during the 1920s. It was here that he wrote his first novel, The Sun Also Rises. Anyone who wants to know Paris beyond the Eiffel tower and the Champs Elysees, would do good to read Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast. This book gives you a peek into the Paris of the 1920s.

A lot of Hemingway’s Paris still exists, although the names of the places where he spent most of his time may have changed.

 

Here are some places where Hemingway spent time in Paris

Rue Mouffetard: This is a narrow street where you can easily trace the aroma of freshly baked bread, crepes, freshly ground coffee and cheese. The Cafe des Amateurs, which Hemingway wrote disparagingly about, used to be here. However, now there is a large restaurant at the place.

Boulevard St. Michel: In his book, A Moveable Feast, Hemingway had mentioned a café in Boulevard St. Michel where he had written a story. Today, the café doesn’t exist anymore, but the street is lined with numerous book stores, garment stores and souvenir shops.

Shakespeare and Company Books: This is a famous bookstore that is located in rue de la Boucherie. The original shop used to be run by Sylvia Beach during the 1920s and 30s. The store retains its personal and idiosyncratic service.

Quai des Grands Augustins: It is here that Hemingway browsed through several second-hand books. The Cafe Pri aux Clercs, which was a favorite with Hemingway, is also nearby.

Boulevard St-Germain-des-Pres: This boulevard still buzzes today with lively cafes and restaurants. Many tourists as well as the locals like to visit the Les Deux Magots here.

Jardin du Luxembourg: Hemingway spent 7 years in Paris, and this was his most favorite destination of the time. It is still there of course.

Gertrude Stein: Hemingway had come all the way to Paris to meet his artistic influence Gertrude Stein, who stayed at 27 rue de Fleurus. This place has artistically constructed vistas and beautiful gardens. Now the area has a lot of schools and colleges.

Tags: hemingway, paris

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 30th, 2011 at 11:45 am and is filed under History. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.