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Let’s continue on the
boulevard Raspail. Halt at no.15, the bookshop of Gallimard. One of the best.
Then cross the boulevard Saint-Germain and enter the rue du Bac with the Hotel
du Pont Royal on your right, whose bar is known as a meeting place of literature
gods. It’s logical since France’s most envied publisher “Les Pleiades”,
who edits MALRAUX, ANDRE GIDE, YOURCENAR has his head offices at the nearby 5
rue Sebastien-Bottin. The sacred of the sacred! Rue de l’Université to the
right then another right, rue Pré-aux-Clercs continue rue St.Guillaume, recross
boulevard Saint-Germain (APOLLINAIRE lived and died at no.202°. In this part of
the rue St.Guillaume stands the faculty of Sciences Po (Political Sciences) that
had all leading and important politicians in France on its school desks. Make a
left into the rue de Grenelle. At the corner of the rue des Saints-Pères have a
drink at Twickenham, where France’s new philosopher BERNARD HENRY LEVI is seen
very often. Continue and enter rue du Dragon resolutely to the left). At no.31
is the Academie Julien, where whole generations of (American) painters learned
how to paint. Including ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG (1949). Continue to the rue Bernard-Palissy
(right) with the famous Editions du Minuit at no. 7 where MARGUERITE DURAS (l’Amant)
publishes her books. Left into the rue de Rennes back to boulevard Saint-Germain.
At the other side the café FLORE and LES DEUX MAGOTS, both legendary
establishments. Also here HEMINGWAY was often seen “ bent over his note book,
writing slowly as if he put every word in a scale”says Sarah Mayfield in
“Exiles from Paradise”. The glory period of the Flore and the Deux Magots
was during the existentialist era in the after war period. JEAN PAUL SARTRE,
SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR, JULIETTE GRECO, BORIS VIAN, it’s difficult to find a name
that didn’t frequent these cafes. It was the first place JAMES BALDWIN entered
as soon as he arrived in Paris in 1948. The literary salon was held on the first
floor of the café Flore. Between the two cafes enter the rue Saint-Benoit and
take the rue Jacob. At no.44 the hotel d’Angleterre that housed numerous
Americans before WWII. Go right to the rue de Seine and then rue de Buci, where
shopping is so agreeable. Then rue de l’Ancienne-Comédie (right) with one of
the oldest cafes in Paris (but please don’t eat there, the food is a disgrace)
and where BEAUMARCHAIS waited anxiously how the critics would accept his
“Figaro’s Wedding”. Cross again the boulevard Saint-Germain and via the
carrefour de l’Odeon enter the rue de Condé. GEORGE SAND stayed at no. 8 in
the tumultuous year of 1848. In no.20 the MARQUIS DE SADE was born in 1740 in
the hotel de Condé. No.22 was the home of Lucille, who would marry CAMILLE
DESMOULINS for the better end the worse (the worse will be the guillotine).
BEAUMARCHAIS lived at no.26 from 1761 to 1773.
Parallel to the rue de Condé is the rue de l’Odéon. It played a big role in
literature life before WWII. Just like there was a borderline on the boulevard
Montparnasse between the “Latin” Select or Rotonde café and the American
Dome, so it existed in this street. At the even side at no.12 SYLVIA BEACH
founded her “Shakespeare and Company” (moved since) where numerous writers
like JAMES JOYCE, and the totally unknown EZRA POUND, SCOTT FITZGERALD,
T.S.ELLIOT, SHERWOOD and of course HEMINGWAY. “You have enough to eat?
“Sylvia asked Ernest!
Let’s stop here. The walk was quite long. Bon appetit!
Bibliography
Guide Bleu
Paris-Hachette----Americans in Paris--An anecdotal Street Guide by Brian
Morton.---Exiles from Paradise, by Sarah Mayfield
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