Les Deux Magots: Must-Visit or Tourist Trap?

Few cafés can claim to have hosted as many extraordinary minds as Les Deux Magots.

It’s where Jean-Paul Sartre wrote for hours on end, where Hemingway sipped sherry with the “Lost Generation”, where Paul McCartney and John Lennon shared a coffee (too broke to buy one each!), and where J J Abrams developed part of the script for Star Wars: Episode 7.

Countless intellectual, literary, and creative giants of the past century have sat at the tables at Les Deux Magots, a legendary café on Paris’ Left Bank and an essential stop on any literary itinerary of Paris.

To understand its significance in Paris’ literary past, we have to look at Les Deux Magots‘ history.

If you’re new here, hi! I’m Laura – a self-confessed francophile who fell head over heels for Paris years ago. I studied French literature at Oxford University and spent a year living in the city, wandering its cobbled streets, eating croissants and browsing old bookshops. Paris has never stopped feeling like magic to me, and I return as often as I can. Here, you’ll find my favourite places and experiences in the city that will always have my heart.

Les Deux Magots History

The café began life as a silk shop in 1812, but would eventually become one of the most notable meeting places in the world for the literary elite.

Clearly destined to become a literary landmark, the original shop was named after a popular play of that time called “Les Deux Magots de la Chine” (The Two Chinese Figurines), and, in a nod to its history, there are still two Chinese figurines mounted on the café’s walls today.

The café’s rise to fame began at the turn of the twentieth century, when Paris, and Saint-Germain-des-Prés in particular, was becoming a hotspot for writers, thinkers, and artists from all over the world.

Among them was Oscar Wilde, who sought refuge in Paris after he was exiled from England. Les Deux Magots became one of his preferred haunts where he mingled with many prominent French writers of the day, including Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Verlaine, André Gide, and even Victor Hugo. 

The café’s popularity grew over the decades and eventually became synonymous with the post-war intelligentsia: Albert Camus, Jean Paul Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir, as well as writers from overseas like Ernest Hemingway, James Baldwin, George Orwell, Vladimir Nabokov, and James Joyce.

Even artists like Pablo Picasso were regulars here. One can only imagine the spirited conversations and debates that once took place within this café’s walls!

But the question is…

Is Les Deux Magots still worth visiting today? Or is it just a tourist trap?

Les Deux Magots is now close to celebrating its 150th anniversary, but has lost none of its original aesthetic and charm.

Stepping inside will take you right back to Paris in the 1920s, and you’ll find row upon row of red leather banquettes, mirrored walls, and Art Deco chandeliers. 

The café has become a hugely popular Paris landmark, and whilst it no doubt welcomes more tourists than writers these days, it remains an important part of Paris’ literary history. 

My personal tip?

Don’t bother eating here, it’s pricey and the food is just… ok. There are much, much better places to eat in Paris today.

Instead, just grab a glass of wine, or perhaps a hot chocolate if it’s chilly, and just soak up the vibe.

If you can visit at a less busy time (e.g. late in the evening), there will be fewer tourists and more locals too.

This café is legendary, and it’s definitely worth visiting at least once in your lifetime.

Weather-permitting, aim for one of the little tables outside where you can sit side-by-side facing the street in true Parisian style.

Not only will you be sitting where many intellectual giants once lingered over coffee and croissants, but you’ll also have a perfect view of Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the oldest church in Paris. 

Books featuring Les Deux Magots

For those who want to delve into the works of writers who once frequented this café, reach for “The Sun Also Rises” by Hemingway, “Lolita” by Nabokov, or “Finnegans Wake” by Joyce, each of which makes reference to Les Deux Magots.

Alternatively, you can peruse the works of previous winners of Le Prix des Deux Magots, an annual literary prize created by the café to celebrate slightly more unconventional works.

The prize is still awarded at the café each year, honouring the café’s literary history.

Practical Details

Address
6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés
75006 Paris, France

Opening Hours
7:30 am – 1 am every day

Website
https://lesdeuxmagots.fr/en/

Have you ever visited this historic café?

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