Following the embarrassment of the Franco-Prussian War and the horrors of the Paris Commune, the Third Republic hoped to regain its strength and portray itself as superior to the Second Republic with the 1878 Exposition Universelle. Due to the…
The expatriates defined Montparnasse in the interwar period, and the neighborhood grew with their legacy. The two are intertwined with each other and have left large influences on one another. After World War I, many artists and intellects were…
Although Montparnasse is now remembered for being the center of the artistic and intellectual revolution of the interwar period, other spots around Paris also boast of their connection with the Lost Generation. In the Saint-Germain-des-Prés…
Located directly behind the Luxembourg Castle lies the Odéon Théâtre, one of the six national theaters of France. The theater is a gem and a constant source of artistic expression in the Montparnasse neighborhood and throughout Paris. With a rich…
The Luxembourg Gardens are a defining aspect of the Montparnasse neighborhood, as a popular site for relaxation and recreation in the middle of a bustling city. Created in 1611, Catherine de’ Medici built the Luxembourg palace and gardens after the…
Printemps is one of the main department stores found in Paris. It was founded in 1865 by Jules Jaluzot with the help of Jean-Alfred Duclos. According to the Printemps website, Jaluzot was a visionary entrepreneur that was struck with a genius idea to…
The district of Montparnasse has long been associated with literature and art. In the 17th century, the area was a popular site for Parisian students to meet and recite poetry; they named the region after the mythological home of the Muses and…
At the height of his reign, Napoleon III declared that the second major Exposition Universelle would take place in 1867 on the Champ de Mars. Napoleon III hoped that by walking around the Champ de Mars, visitors would feel as though they were…
The location of the once world-famous Jo Goldenberg restaurant, famous both for its symbolic nature and its tragic past, now sits empty. The restaurant was opened by Jo Goldenberg, a Holocaust survivor who lost his entire family at the Auschwitz…
Le Jardin des Tuileries is a vast park in the center of Paris which hosts many people, and thus it is filled with various sounds. As visitors walk through the park, they can hear vendors talking, fountains bubbling, children playing, and friends…
