Les Deux Magots

6 Pl. Saint-Germain des Prés, 75006 Paris, France
+33145485525

One part tourist trap, one part beloved café, Les Deux Magots is a legendary spot that everyone should visit at least once when in Paris. Most famous as the place where the likes of Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre and Ernest Hemingway spent their days writing at its tables, the café serves decent coffee and hot chocolate—but skip the spendy menu unless you’re really hungry. The best seats are on the terrace, under that iconic green awning, where you can just sit back and people-watch on this busy corner of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

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A fine tourist trap

Les Deux Magots was once the favorite hang out of literary figures and famous artists, with Hemingway, Satre, Picasso and many other from the list of famous folks, but today you can enjoy the atmosphere and sit outside drinking a glass of wine or coffee that would cost you as much or more than a nice lunch in another location. Still, don’t let that put you off. Walk down St. Germain Blvd and enjoy the stroll and the literary cafes and think of the money you just saved.

Un Petit Coup at Historic & Quintessential Deux Magots

Really, there cannot be a better intro to Paris than Les Deux Magots in the heart of St. Germain des Pres (across from the church). What better place to feel a part of history, experience the full Parisian waiter routine, people-watch at your leisure and enjoy a light French snack. There is usually goat cheese on toasted dark bread from Poilane, a Croque Madame, or my fave, the Salade Deux Magots with green beans, boiled egg, raisins, chicken with a balsamic dressing and yellow curry drizzle, accompanied by a crisp bottle of Sancerre. Ah, c’est la vie.

A Writer's Place to Linger

Unfortunately, these days, Les Deux Magots gets a bad rap for being touristy and overpriced. Being one of Hemingway’s old haunts, this beautiful cafe gets a lot of traffic. We recommend coming here on a warm summer evening and grabbing a table outside on the sidewalk. It is the perfect place to sip a glass of wine and watch the people stroll down the Boulevard Saint Germain. You may even want to bring a journal and something to write with. While the well-dressed waiters hustle around you, it is difficult to not get swept up in the nostalgia of it all. This is where the great literary geniuses came to meet, and perhaps, creativity still lingers in the air here. Aspiring writers, this is your cafe. You never know just how magically inspirational a place like this can be.

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