Literary Paris, Paris

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Natalie Barney's literary salons (20, rue Jacob ~ 6th arrondissement) rivaled Gertrude Stein's. Due to the long-lived enmity between James Joyce and Gertrude Stein, Joyce opted to hang out here instead. This was also the preferred salon for poet, Ezra Pound.

In the garden there is reputed to be a well leading to a tunnel under the Seine to the Louvre but the garden was locked & overgrown; I could see nothing, not even the famed Greek Temple.

Just a few doors down at 10 rue Jacob is American food critic Patricia Wells' apartment in Paris; this is where she holds her cooking classes (reserve WELL in advance). Around the corner on rue Bonaparte is the divine salon de thé, Ladurée, which serves the most wondrous macarons (not those hard coconut-infused macaroons one finds in the US) in a plethora of flavours.

You can read more about Natalie Barney, this story and expatriates in Arlen J. Hansen's inimitable Expatriate Paris: A Cultural & Literary Guide to Paris of the 1920s.

Photo: April 2003 & Feb 2006

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39 rue Descartes
On the top floor

A man's gotta write SOMEWHERE! When the cafes get overcrowded or your friends know where to find you, your best bet is to rent out a cold top room in a hovel of a building. Better yet, make that in Paris and why not a place that's associated with another literary giant?

Well, that's what Hemingway did. This apartment was located just around the corner from his apartment at 74 rue du Cardinal-Lemoine where he lived with his first bride, Hadley.

Hemingway claimed in his memoirs, A Moveable Feast, that he worked in the same room where the dissolute French poet Verlaine died (January 8, 1896, in the home of a prostitute). Ahh, the ghosts of old, dead writers to keep one warm and to fuel one's thoughts. It was so cold that he had to keep his clementines in his pocket while he worked in order to keep them from freezing. Hem couldn't have been too poor, though, if he could afford a separate apartment in which to work, no matter how desolate the place!

Photos: Feb 2006

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Hemingway's Apartment in Paris
74 rue du Cardinal-Lemoine – 4th floor apt.

A man's gotta live SOMEWHERE! This is the first place where Hemingway lived with his 1st wife, Hadley. This building has a plaque on the front stating as such.

They moved here January 9, 1922 after their initial stay at the Hotel Jacob (which is now known as the Hotel d'Angleterre). They lived here a little over a year & a half before moving August 1923 to Toronto, Canada so their son (Bumby, father to Mariel & Margot Hemingway) could be born in North America.

Just around the corner at 39 rue Descartes, Hem worked in the same room where the poet Verlaine had died.

Photos: Feb 2006

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Many people think of the Hôtel d'Angleterre as just a nice hotel to stay at on rue Jacob, another nice hotel amongst a slew of nice hotels in this area; few realize its historic political & literary significance.

Formerly the British Embassy, Benjamin Franklin once refused to set foot on "British soil". However, it WAS here that he, John Jay & John Adams worked out details of the treaty with England; just a few steps down the street at #56 (indicated by plaque) these 3 eminent men signed the peace treaty with the British September 3, 1783.

In 1777, Franklin & his 2 grandsons lived at #52. His American compatriot, Thomas Jefferson, was also a guest at the d'Angleterre.

The original name of this hotel was Hôtel Jacob then changed in 1925 to Hôtel Jacob-et-d'Angleterre before settling on its current appellation.

Moving forward we see that this was the first hotel where Hemingway & his bride Hadley (grandmother to Margo & Mariel) stayed (Dec 1921) before taking digs of on rue Cardinal-Lemoine in the Quartier Latin.

Other illustrious writers/artists include Djuna Barnes, Sherwood Anderson (a favorite of Gertrude Stein - over whom she & Hemingway had a falling out), and Man Ray, the famous artist/photographer.

At #20, Natalie Barney held her famous literary salons. Patricia Wells' Paris apartment is located at #10. And on the corner of rue Jacob & rue Bonaparte you'll find the most divine macarons at Ladurée.

Photos: Feb 06

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57 rue de Seine
(on the corner of rue Jacob)

At this corner once stood the Hôtel du Maroc, the June 1921 Parisian abode of the famous Pulitzer-Prize-winning playwright who wrote Our Town. But he didn't stay here long because he tired of the bedbugs!

Thankfully, this horror of a hotel is not longer in business. The current business residing here is a travel agency called Urban Safari.

Please note that the rue de Seine is well-known for its art galleries; a wonderful place to shop & browse! Also, for a lovely view thru an archway of the Pont des Arts & the Louvre walk along the street to the river Seine to come upon this surprisingly exquisite sight!

You can read more about Thornton Wilder in Expatriate Paris: A Cultural & Literary Guide to Paris of the 1920's by Arlen J. Hansen.

If you crave a snack, one block west on rue Jacob & rue Bonaparte is the fabulous salon de thé, Ladurée, where they serve the most fabulous macarons. Or go one block south to #73 rue de Seine and try Patricia Wells' favorite lemon tart from Gérard Mulot's boulangerie ~ either way you can't lose!

Photos: Feb 06

In the thick of the Latin Quarter in an unassuming street one will find Ernest Hemingway's former apartment that he occupied in 1922. In those days the apartment had no private toilet nor hot water. Hopefully it's improved alot since then.

Gertrude Stein & Alice B. Toklas' home in Paris
5 rue Christine, Paris 75006

Just down the street from the lovely 4-star Hôtel le Relais Christine, is the site of the Gertrude Stein's & Alice B. Toklas' 2nd home in Paris to which they moved in 1938.

Gertrude had started a huge art collection with her brother, Leo, and it would later become a priceless art collection (filled with Picassos & other post-impressionist works). Hemingway mentioned in A Moveable Feast that going to Miss Stein's apartment was like going to a museum with her wonderful works of art displayed on her walls. He also liked to sample her collection of eaux-de-vie there, too!

When they moved here they brought 130 painting with them. If you're seeking the site of her famous literary salons you'll find it at 27 rue du Fleurus.

Samuel Beckett's Quarters
45 rue d'Ulm
École Normale Supérieure

At this site of the École Normale Supérieure is where the famous Irish playwright/author of Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett, lived as he served as James Joyce's personal (albeit unpaid) gofer/secretary during the Ulysses years & while he taught at the École.

Tragically, Joyce's cherished daughter, Lucia fell into an unrequited love for Beckett and went mad because of it.

Nearby is the Chapelle Val-du-Grâce and the residences of Man Ray & Thornton Wilder.

Thornton Wilder's Abode
269 rue St-Jacques

A Pulitzer-prize-winning novelist, Thornton Wilder moved here in June 1921 after his brief stint at the Hôtel du Maroc. This is where he wrote most of The Bridge at San Luis Rey, published shortly after his return to NYC January 1927.

You can read more about Thornton Wilder in Expatriate Paris: A Cultural & Literary Guide to Paris of the 1920's by Arlen J. Hansen.

This building is just around the corner from Man Ray's studio at 8 rue du Val-de-Grâce.

If you require sustenance you might find Closerie des Lilas at 171 bd Montparnasse to be a pleasant place to sustain yourself. Closerie des Lilas was one of Hemingway's favorite "writing" cafés and also was home to the "Modernism Congress" February 17, 1922, where the dadaist manifesto was proclaimed by folk such as Tristan Tzara, André Breton & Erik Satie.

This bookstore is near the church of Notre Dame de Paris. You can find many interesting books there. However, the main secret of this place is the possibility for prospective writers. The owner of this bookstore gives shelter to people free. The main condition is starting write person’s biography and later story or poem. 4-6 people are living in this bookstore constantly.