Paris Montparnasse: the Roaring Twenties

A district for artists and the bohemian lifestyle (and, of course, for the Bretons of Paris!), Montparnasse had an international influence until the Second World War, attracting painters, sculptors, poets and writers from all over the world.

Among them was Ernest Hemingway, who arrived in Paris in 1921. He was a young journalist at the time and spent part of his days looking for inspiration at the Closerie des Lilas.

We will be looking at the Montparnasse of the years 1900-1930 and its artistic profusion.

From La Closerie des Lilas, we will head for rue Campagne Première, where Modigliani, Pompon, Othon Friesz, Miro, Picasso, Max Ernst, Giacometti and Kandinsky worked.
Then we will head towards the carrefour Vavin, where the four legendary brasseries of Montparnasse converge: Le Dôme, La Rotonde, Le Select and La Coupole, all of which acted as melting pots for modern art.

Your guide is from L'Echappée Belle, a company of guide-lecturers set up nearly thirty years ago. They offer a wide range of tours and walks in Paris and the Ile-de-France region. Their guides have a solid background in art history and know Paris inside out. Their tours are lively, full of anecdotes, and they make sure that every participant has a great time.

If you want to know more about Paris and Grand Paris heritage, take a look at our other visits about this subject on Explore Paris!