In the 1920s, there was really only one person who can get the likes of Pablo Picasso, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernst Hemingway all in one room: Gertrude Stein. She was the original "American Girl in Paris," enjoying the liberated culture and artistic expression of the many people that reveled there. And most of the time, she would invite these distinguished peers of hers in her salon at 20 rue de Fleurus. Oh to be a fly on the wall at those parties! The stories one could have told when seeing all those literary and artistic giants congregating together! Fortunately you can still feel the spirit of that time at the exact same place in Paris.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Mu
Natalie Clifford Barney was one of many American writers in the 1920s that lived in Paris. She was a true flapper, challenging the men of her time with her wit and intelligence, all the while partaking in the social revolution of women. She would also host many soirees, inviting only the toast of Paris to come and enjoy her company. In the city of lights, she lived in at 27 rue Jacob. It was there where many discussions were made and gossips started. And you can still visit it to this very day!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Mbzt
Along the 1st arrondissement stands a Parisian institution of nightlife delights, Harry's Bar. A fusion of French nightlife culture with the sternness of the American spirit, it became quite the hotspot in the 1920s. It's your typical speakeasy, complete with deliciously strong drinks, dim lighting for a more intimate mood, and a whole lot of Jazz. It's no secret that during the 1920s, a lot of Americans regarded Paris as their second home. And this bar stood and continued to stand as proof of that!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Mitch Barrie
Speaking of Americans in Paris during the 1920s, Ernst Hemingway was undoubtedly one of the most prominent of them. The legendary novelist often went to the City of Lights to discuss his ideas with fellow writers, take inspiration from the wild social scene of the city, and simply just hang out. So often did her go here that the bar in The Ritz, which he also frequented, transformed into the "Hemingway Bar." Dedicated to the writer, the bar looks and feels just like the exact establishment he would have visited every night while in Paris. It's so 1920s, you'll feel as if you're actually in the past!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Pablo Sanchez
It's highly likely that the writers and artists who lived in Paris in the 1920s would stroll around the beautiful city to clear their heads or get some inspiration. Such a life was often that difficult. Their very livelihoods depended on their getting inspiration. Among the many streets, avenues, and parks that they frequented, the Jardin du Luxembourg alone 6th arrondissement was one of the most popular. With relaxing ponds, stunning gardens, and cars of walking space, it's easy to clear one's head here or simply get lost in its beauty.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Les Deux Magots still looks like it was straight out of a postcard from the 1920s. Looks-wise, the cafe still resembles that of the beautiful hub that many artists went to when they got hungry. You could imagine Coco Chanel having a strong cup of coffee whilst smoking a cigarette in one of the booths. You could just hear Hemingway and Fitzgerald talk about their latest novels at a table outside. And you could probably see Jean-Paul Satre lecture his artistic friends around the corner of the shop. It still looks so much of the same space that you'll really feel you're back in the 1920s, especially at night!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Roboppy at English Wikipedia
It would be weird that one of the hottest spots in Paris during the 1920s was a place devoted to an English writer. But then again, that was the irony of that decade. American authors and Spanish artists reigned supreme and practically defined the Parisian lifestyle at the time. And one of their many haunts was Shakespeare & Co., a cozy little book shop. Hemingway even mentioned the store in one of the works, "A Movable Feast." Though it has slightly changed through time, the literary spirit that drew the great novelists of the time to often go here still lingers on. Plus, you can get a great book here too!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
To this day, Paris offers an escape to a different time when everything was new and exciting, the 1920s! Many of the establishments that the toasts of the town often visited are still open today, perfect for a visit during this new 20s era!
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