- Latin Quarter - We start the tour in the heart of the Left Bank’s bohemian quarter. We discover his early days before arriving in Paris. Then we will see Hemingway’s1st flat - a cold water flat with no running water, shared toilets in the hallway & a mattress on the floor. Despite his poverty, he loved Paris & opened himself up to discovering a new city, a new life.
- Place de la Contrescarpe - Next stop, the place where James Joyce finished writing his masterpiece novel Ulysses. The two men were good friends, perhaps a “Literary Odd Couple” given their differences !
- Odeon / Saint-Michel - We will visit the original location of the famed bookstore, Shakespeare & Company, on the rue de l’Odéon. Hemingway was a close friend of the owner, Sylvia Beach, and he shared many happy memories of the store & the woman in his novel about Paris, A Moveable Feast.
- Eglise Saint-Sulpice - Hemingway’s last flat in Paris was located nearby - the rent was paid by his 2nd wife’s family and it was far more posh than his previous digs. We will hear about his friendship with Fitzgerald & discover the behind-the-scenes story of his 1st novel, The Sun Also Rises. It was a divisive book, that cost him the friendship of several close acquaintances, but it catapulted him to fame.
- Le Select - Le Select was popular with all the Lost Generation writers. We end the tour here. Guests can also choose to end the tour in one of the other famed 1920s cafés of Montparnasse (La Rotonde, the Dome, the Closerie de Lilas), at Harry’s NY Bar near the Opera, or at the Hemingway Bar in the Ritz Hotel (advance notice required for this option because dress attire is obligatory to enter the bar). Drinks NOT INCLUDED in the tour price.
- Local guide
- Tablet is used by the guide to present photo & video documentation
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Transportation costs not included - there is a bus ride during the tour which costs €2/person
- Food & beverages not included
Hemingway made his mark during his tenure in Paris where he was influenced by notable authors like James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. As a young journalist, these interactions helped him evolve into a practiced novelist. These individuals, who were collectively known as the ‘Lost Generation’, had experienced the atrocities of World War I firsthand and were drawn to Paris for both artistic enlightenment and self-discovery.
This guided tour will explore Hemingway’s common haunts in Paris, where he resided, wrote, and reveled. Along the journey, I’ll delve into well-documented details about his life and deeds, showcase historical photos of Hemingway in Paris, and read excerpts from his works.
From his initial sojourn to Europe as a voluntary Ambulance Driver during World War I to his final days in Ketchum, Idaho, this tour provides a snapshot of Hemingway’s experiences in Paris, his personal story, his romantic entanglements, and his literary pursuits. We will stop by his beloved watering holes and maybe enjoy a beverage as I narrate his journey from his early life through to his stint in Paris, and finally his heartbreaking demise.
- Please note that I am entirely vaccinated
- It is possible to end this tour either at Harry’s NY Bar or one of the Jazz Age iconic cafés of Montparnasse, or even the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz. In the case of the latter, 24-hour advance notice is required since there is a dress code for the Ritz.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.