Paris 1920: Lost Generation Writers of the Left Bank (Small Group Walking Tour)
- Live Guide
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- Day Trip
- Group Tour
- E-Ticket
- 3 hr
There is a famous saying : “Everyone has 2 countries, their own & France”. This was especially true for numerous artists, writers & jazz musicians between the 2 world wars, many of whom flocked to Paris not only for artistic inspiration but also to find themselves. Known as the Lost Generation, these were men & women who had suffered through WW1, a war that had taken 40m lives. They were all between 20 and 30 years old & questioned the old regime as morally bankrupt – seeking to build a new system. Eager to share ideas they would gather in the numerous cafés of the Left Bank. Many of these struggling artists & writers stayed in the area’s cheap hotels or cold-water flats. We will visit the places where these people lived, worked & partied, bearing in mind that the bohemian Left Bank of starving artists & struggling writers has given way to chic boutiques & high end bistros. Drinks not included in the price. School groups are welcome on this tour - contact us for rates.
Itinerary Details
Operated by: Visit the Hidden Paris
Stop At: Place de la Contrescarpe
We start off in a pleasant café with a short introduction to the Lost Generation authors and their involvement in WW1. Guests can enjoy a cup of coffee while we begin the tour.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Mouffetard Market
We visit the first flat where Ernest Hemingway lived & learn about his early years. We also visit the place where James Joyce finished his masterpiece Ulysses, in the face of much opposition.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Odeon
We visit the original location of the famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, a 2nd home to so many of the Lost Generation writers - Hemingway, Pound, Stein & most especially Joyce.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Luxembourg Gardens
We visit the homes of the Lost Generation authors around the Luxembourg gardens : Man Ray, William Faulkner, Hemingway (again)
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Montparnasse Quartier
We end the tour in one of the famed Montparnasse cafés, where all the Lost Generation writers came to party back in the 1920s. Over a drink we discuss the Fitzgeralds & their tragic end; Ezra Pound, with his outstanding talent & his despicable political views; then the controversial Gertrude Stein.
Duration: 30 minutes
