In Paris, this now legendary restaurant was once the haunt of illustrious painters, writers, poets and novelists. In the late 19th century, such luminaries as Emile Zola, Cézanne and Théophile Gautier all dined here. A place steeped in history, now a literary café and a never-ending source of inspiration.
The Parisian literary café par excellence, Hemingway’s haunt
“Paris is a party” wrote Ernest Hemingway in his novel of the same name, recounting the Paris of the 1920s. Arriving in Paris in 1921, the American writer, commonly known as “Hem'”, drew his inspiration from Parisian cafés. In particular, La Closerie des Lilas became his refuge. In his legendary book Paris est une fête, he mentions this inspiring place more than once, and it became one of his favorite places to write : “La Closerie des Lilas was a good café. I worked well there.”
Golden plaques on the restaurant’s tables, engraved with the names of Oscar Wilde, Emile Zola and Pablo Picasso.
Today, visitors to 171 boulevard Montparnasse, in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, can see copper plaques engraved with the names of illustrious customers of yesteryear. These include Lenin, Edvard Munch and Samuel Beckett. Ernest Hemingway has a brass plaque engraved with his name directly on the bar. Right where he loved to sit and write. But what exactly is the history of La Closerie des Lilas? How did it become a legendary restaurant over the years?
La Closerie des Lilas Paris: from buvette to Art Deco gem
In its 19th-century beginnings, La Closerie was a guinguette, a buvette nestled on the road to Fontainebleau, where travelers stopped to quench their thirst. In 1843, François Bullier bought the so-called “Prado d’été”, a neighborhood ball, where he planted 1,000 lilacs. In 1847, La Closerie des Lilas was officially opened under this name. It welcomed quadrille dancers who came before and after dancing at the Bal Bullier.
In the early 20th century, La Closerie des Lilas became a literary café. From then on, it became a place of inspiration for poets and authors. Such was the case of Apollinaire and Alfred Jarry, famous for his work Ubu roi. Later, Zola, Cézanne and, of course, Hemingway frequented the premises.
A legendary Art Deco restaurant in Paris
In the 1920s, La Closerie des Lilas underwent a literal Art Deco makeover. The restaurant is adorned with mosaics on the floor, beautiful mahogany woodwork, majestic chandeliers and engraved glass doors. The sumptuous decor further enhanced the restaurant’s reputation, as Modigliani, Sartre, Picasso and Oscar Wilde all flocked here. A legend was born…
Address :
📍La Closerie des Lilas, 171 boulevard Montparnasse, 75 006 Paris