Recently updated on January 23rd, 2020 at 03:58 pm
It was the journals from his time as a struggling writer in 1920s Paris that became Hemingway’s celebrated novel, ‘A Moveable Feast’. Along with fellow creatives – who together became known as the ‘Lost Generation’ – Hemingway frequented the city’s cafes, brasseries, bookshops and bars. And having been named in his famous novel, many of his favourite haunts can be visited today. Follow in the footsteps of Hemingway in Paris by seeking out each of these nostalgic sites.
Marché Mouffetard
In ‘A Moveable Feast’ Hemingway described Rue Mouffetard as a ‘wonderful, narrow crowded market street’. Today, the market still thrives with fresh food stalls frequented by local shoppers. Take a walk along the vibrant market street to experience the walk Hemingway took each day en route to his rented apartment.
Place Saint-Michel
An inspiring setting, Hemingway was known to settle in at one of the cafes in picturesque Place Saint-Michel to work on his manuscripts. The focus here falls on the impressive Baroque fountain, depicting Saint Michel killing a demon.
Jardin du LuxembourgÂ
These 25-hectare gardens, which were created in 1612, lie between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter. Split between French and English gardens, with areas such as an orchard and rose garden to explore, the gardens are a hub for people of all ages. Hemingway lived alongside Jardin du Luxembourg on Rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs.
Shakespeare & CompanyÂ
The original Shakespeare & Company bookstore and library, which was run by Sylvia Beach, was where Hemingway used to go to borrow books. At that time, it was located on Rue de l’Odéon but it is now on the quay across from Notre Dame, with a café offering a literary inspired menu.
Brasserie LippÂ
As one of the oldest brasseries in Paris, Brasserie Lipp has a long history of attracting Paris’s artists. It was here that Hemingway used to come to eat, as well as to drink cold beer.Â
La Closerie des Lilas
Another of Hemingway’s haunts was the brasserie and piano bar, La Closerie des Lilas, which was also notably popular with the city’s creative set.
Bouquinistes
Hemingway and the other writers of the ‘Lost Generation’ often browsed the books sold on the stalls lining the River Seine. More than 200 booksellers now set up their bookstalls between Pont Marie and Quai du Louvre, and from Quai de la Tournelle to Quai Voltaire on the opposite bank.
The Ritz Bar
It was at the Ritz in 1956 that Hemingway found the notebooks he’d kept in the ’20s in a trunk he’d forgotten was stored at the hotel. He had these notebooks transcribed and this became his book ‘A Moveable Feast’. The hotel’s bar was later renamed The Hemingway Bar.
On the Paris Explorer trip, visit the hidden courtyards and neighbourhoods the writer frequented by joining the tour of Hemingway’s Paris.
Image credits: Cover photo of Jardin du Luxembourg © iStock / Arie J. Jager. Rue Mouffetard © iStock / Nikada. Place Saint-Michel © iStock / ivanmateev.Jardin du Luxembourg © iStock / encrier. Book stalls in Paris © iStock / laurentlesax. The Latin Quarter in Paris © iStock / Rrrainbow.