Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” The famed author lived in the City of Light during the 1920s, and wrote some of his prized novels while embedded in the gardens and cafes of the Left Bank.
South of the River Seine, the Left Bank was and still is the site of creatives — writers, poets, artists, and philosophers have claimed this neighborhood as their own. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, Jean-Paul Sartre and countless others have lived, worked and reimagined society on its cobblestone streets. Intellects studying at the Sorbonne and modern-day bohemians can be found sipping coffee, brainstorming and creating together.
Related: Why It's Illegal to Take Photos of the Eiffel Tower at Night
With such an influx of talent, artists and small business owners began catering to these visionaries. At a historic bookstore, writers and poets can stay as guests provided they read a book per day and help out at the shop. At a popular café, writers can enter a literary contest where the prize is free champagne for life. And just outside the University of Paris, students rub the shoe of a well-known statue to ensure success on their exams.
Marie Segura, a literature expert and Sorbonne student who works with Localers helped us discover the unique hotspots sought after by professional and aspiring writers alike.
