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This legendary Parisian café has seen all the greatest writers of the 20th century pass through its doors

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The Editor

© Petr Kovalenkov /Shutterstock

Welcome to Les Deux Magots!

For 140 years, this famous address on the Left Bank has been attracting Parisians and tourists alike. A historic place, a typical cafe of the capital, intrinsically linked to the literary life of Paris: welcome to Les Deux Magots. Let us tell you the story of this essential institution of the 6th arrondissement.

It's impossible to visit **Saint-Germain-des-Prés** without taking a little detour to admire **the iconic facades of [Café de Flore](https://www.lebonbon.fr/paris/les-tops-food-et-drink/ou-manger-welsh-a-paris/){target="_blank"} and Les Deux Magots**, two literary cafes in the capital, **with absolutely fascinating parallel stories**. Today, we invite you to **take a little trip back in time** to learn more about the origins of this **iconic place of Parisian culture** that is **Les Deux Magots**. ### Cafés and letters **Since its opening in 1884**, Les Deux Magots, which was just a drinks bar at the time, has been **tremendously successful among the writers of the era**, many of whom frequented the neighborhood. It was not uncommon to find **Verlaine, [Rimbaud](https://www.lebonbon.fr/paris/news/hotel-litteraire-hommage-rimbaud-paris/){target="_blank"}, or even Mallarmé** there late at night, quickly turning this unassuming little counter into **a literary hotspot**. # Welcome to our online store! We are so glad you're here! Feel free to browse through our amazing selection of products and find something that brings you joy. Don't forget to check out our special deals and promotions. Happy shopping!*popping!* **Why choose us?** Our products are carefully selected to bring a smile to your face. We prioritize quality and customer satisfaction above all else. Let us be your go-to store for all things fun and fabulous.

A few years later, in the early 1900s, they were replaced by other personalities, no less deserving, like Guillaume Apollinaire, André Breton, Elsa Triolet, and André Gide. These non-conformist authors rebelled against a literature that was too classical and school-oriented, upheld by the Prix Goncourt. They decided to create, in opposition, the Prix des Deux Magots, which still exists today. This was enough to establish the café as a temple for French writers.

Since then, its close connection to literature has only grown stronger. For instance, Simone de Beauvoir (a very loyal customer of the café, where she would spend entire days with Sartre) wrote her novel Les Mandarins there (which ironically won the half-Goncourt). It was also not uncommon to bump into Hemingway during his years in Paris. But the other arts are not left out, as Pablo Picasso, B.oris Vian... will also make their way there.


A tradition that still continues today

Over 100 years later, this "literary café", as it proudly proclaims itself, continues to fascinate, and especially attracts tourists in droves. And at the same time, it must be said that beyond its history, and its two magnificent Chinese figurines displayed inside ("magots", from which it gets its name), one finds quality products, and traditional cuisine that we all love. The hot chocolate is still made "the old-fashioned way", with real chocolate bars, and we can assure you that it's worth a visit.

Its artistic aura continues to shine day after day, thanks to weekly literary gatherings, but also to various awards established over the years.prizes, in addition to the first one mentioned above. Today we celebrate the Pelléas prize, which rewards the " work on music with the most beautiful literary qualities ", or the ... Continue reading

Saint-Germain prize, a multicultural prize created hand in hand with, among others, Café de Flore, its longtime “rival”, as many like to point out. But let's not forget that while Flore is a bit more popular today, the Deux Magots were there first...

Les Deux Magots
6, place Saint-Germain – 6e
Open every day from 7:30am to 1am
More info