For centuries the Montparnasse district of Paris has attracted writers, poets, artists, filmmakers and other creatives. Once just outside the southern edge of Paris, in the 16th century the area was a depository for rubble and stones extracted from neighbouring quarries. In the 18th century, students started gathered at this artificial hill, or “mont”, to recite poetry. They nicknamed the location “Montparnasse”, after Mount Parnassus, the home of poetry, music, and learning in ancient Greek mythology.
In the mid-1800s, open-air dancehalls began popping up on the fringes of the Paris and several appeared here, creating a laid-back and lively ambiance, which remained after the district was incorporated into Paris in 1860. In the early 20th century, as the Montparnasse train station serves western France, working class people from the region of Brittany settled in the area and brought the art of creperies with them, a tradition that carries on to this day. Cheap rents also began drawing artists, their numbers increasing when Pablo Picasso abandoned Montmartre for the Montparnasse in the 1910s. This creative surge peaked in the 1920s when Montparnasse and its buzzing cafés became the epicentre for Parisian nightlife and the city’s artistic and literary scene.
This inspirational location is the setting for our Paris School of Arts and Culture. You may like to get to know the area with the help of this guide to Montparnasse including sites of interest, art venues, cinemas, cafés and more.
Sites of Interest
Montparnasse Cemetery
Often over-shadowed by Père Lachaise cemetery, this beautiful final resting place, the second largest in Paris, is also worth a visit. It too has its equal share of notable tombs, including those of Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Charles Baudelaire, Brancusi, Marguerite Duras and, perhaps the most visited, singer Serge Gainsbourg.
Tour Montparnasse
It’s impossible to miss this 210-metre (689 ft) skyscraper which juts out of the Parisian horizon. Although it’s not the most attractive of Paris’s landmarks, the tower dating back to 1973 does have an impressive view from the top, which you can take in from its paid viewing deck on the 56th floor.
Luxembourg Gardens
Bordering the Montparnasse district is one of Paris’s loveliest parks. It was once the private gardens of the 17th-century palace commissioned by Queen Marie de Medici on the north side of the park, now the French Senate. The park was much loved by early 20th century writers, including Ernest Hemingway. A great place for a study break or to catch up on your reading, be sure to seek out the gorgeous Medici Fountain, a renaissance “grotto” fountain located on the east side of the palace, and the maquette of the Statue of Liberty, found on the east side.
Rue de la Gaité
On the east side of the cemetery is this lively street lined with historic theatres. Theatres began popping up here in the 1870s, and some historic ones, like the Comédie Italienne and Théâtre Bobino still exist.
Marché Edgar Quinet
Visiting a Parisian open-air food market is a must during your time in the city and there’s an excellent one which is held on Boulevard Edgar Quinet every Wednesday and Saturday morning until 1:30/2pm.
Photo: Musée Bourdelle
Art Venues
Musée Zadkine
The former studio of Russian-born artist Ossip Zadkine is found a short walk from our Paris School, located on the edge of the Luxembourg Gardens. It’s now a City of Paris museum and has free admission. Learn more about it in our article on historic art studios.
Musée Bourdelle
Another former studio of the Montparnasse area, the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle worked in this beautiful series of buildings near the Montparnasse train station. More information is also available about it in our article on historic art studios.
As you can gather from its name, this foundation presents exhibitions revovling around Alberto Giacometti and is near where the Swiss artist lived and worked in the Montparnasse area.
Fondation Cartier
A few blocks from our Paris School, this sleek glass and steel building was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and houses temporary exhibits by top contemporary artists. Read more about it and other cool contemporary art spaces in this article.
Chemin du Montparnasse
A walk down this pretty lane at 21 avenue du Maine will give you a good idea of what the art studios of Montparnasse neighborhood were like. The verdant cul-de-sac consists of a series of studios built from salvaged material from the 1900s World’s Fair.
Historic Cafés
The cafés of the Boulevard du Montparnasse were the heart of artistic and literary Paris from the 1920s to 50s. While it’s wonderful many of them have survived, the cost of a drink at most of them is rather steep, but admiring them from the outside is free! You can read more about some of the cafés below and other literary cafés of the Left Bank in this article.
La Closerie Des Lilas
Opened in the 1860s, this café was popular with avant-garde artists, poets and writers such as Paul Verlaine, Charles Baudelaire Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway who is said to have read Fitzgerald’s manuscript of The Great Gatsby here, and worked on The Sun Also Rises.
Le Dôme
Opened in 1898 and once known as “the Anglo-American café,” it was the first meeting place in Montparnasse of the intellectuals. There is even a special term, “Dômiers” to designate the artists and writers who met at the café, which includes the likes of Foujita, Picasso, Man Ray, Soutine, Khalil Gibran and Kandinsky. Today it is restaurant specialised in seafood dishes.
La Rotonde
Situation around the corner from our Paris School, Hemingway talked about the café’s popularity in The Sun Also Rises. Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Picasso, Modigliani and many others also regularly frequented it.
La Coupole
This legendary Art Deco brasserie, the largest of the area, was an important gathering point of artists, writers and intellectuals especially in the 1920s when it was the place to be. One a given night you might cross paths with the likes of Jean Cocteau, Alberto Giacometti or Josephine Baker.
Le Select
Opened in 1923, this local brasserie was a favourite of Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Picasso, who is name the small square in front of the café now bears.
Movie Theatres
Lucernaire
Found a short distance from our Paris School, this unique venue is more than just an art house cinema. Opened in 1969, the multifaceted art centre has three theatres, three screening rooms, a bookshop, art gallery, restaurant and bar. Discover more art house cinemas in Paris in this article.
MK2 Parnasse
France’s more artsy chain of cinemas, MK2 general screens critically acclaimed movies, art house films and quality international features. This location is near our School.
UGC Rotonde
This branch of the large chain of UGC cinemas is also located a few minutes’ walk from the School.
UGC Montparnasse
Another UGC, this cinema is situated closer to Montparnasse métro and tower.
Gaumont Parnasse
Part of the historic Gaumont cinema group, this movie theatre plays main stream, independent and international films.
Coffee Spots
Un Grain Décalé
For the best coffee within a short walk from the School, try this nice specialty coffee shop on rue Vavin and close to the Luxembourg Gardens (hours Weds-Sun 10:30-6pm, Tues 2-6pm).
Funzy Café
The local “café du coin” or neighbourhood café is doing takeaway coffee, maybe not the best, but cheap and your chance to rub shoulders with the locals who hang around in front of it.
Ten Belles 6
The Left Bank outpost of a well-known coffee shop in the 10th arrondissement is less than a 10-minute walk away, in between the School and the Bon Marché department store.
Dining
We’ve put together our top lunch options in the Montparnasse area for tasty cheap eats in this separate article.
Discover the places above easily via our Google Map of the area. Access it at this link.