--- title: "Paris 1920: Lost Generation Writers of the Left Bank (Small Group Walking Tour)" lang: en alternate_de: https://guidekin.com/de/france/paris/tours/paris-1920-lost-generation-writers-of-the-left-bank-small-group-walking-tour/ type: tour city: Paris country: France price: 100 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.71 reviews: 35 duration_minutes: 180 languages: [en] free_cancellation: "true" rank_in_category: 43 of 54 (Walking Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-10-01 data_updated: 2026-10-12 canonical: https://guidekin.com/france/paris/tours/paris-1920-lost-generation-writers-of-the-left-bank-small-group-walking-tour/ --- # Paris 1920: Lost Generation Writers of the Left Bank (Small Group Walking Tour) **Guidekin's take:** Lost Generation writers are the focus of this Left Bank walk, with photographs, video and readings from their works shown on a tablet. A local guide leads the walk, but transport to and from the meeting point is excluded and moderate fitness is required. 4.71 from 35 reviews at €100 per person for 3h. In our comparison: #43 of 54 in Walking Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview There is a famous saying : “Everyone has 2 countries, their own & France”. This was especially true for numerous artists, writers & jazz musicians between the 2 world wars, many of whom flocked to Paris not only for artistic inspiration but also to find themselves. Known as the Lost Generation, these were men & women who had suffered through WW1, a war that had taken 20m lives. They were all between 20 and 30 years old & questioned the old regime as morally bankrupt – seeking to build a new system. Eager to share ideas they would gather in the numerous cafés of the Left Bank. Many of these struggling artists & writers stayed in the area’s cheap hotels or cold-water flats. We will visit the places they lived, worked & partied, bearing in mind that the bohemian Left Bank of starving artists & struggling writers has given way to chic boutiques & high end bistros. Drinks not included in the price. School groups are welcome on this tour - contact us for rates. ## Before you book - Meeting point: Meeting point is in front of the Café la… - Min. 2 to book: not for solo travellers - Starts 14:00: one departure a day - Food not included: Food & beverage not included - Strollers OK: infants accepted - Children from €80: ages 12 to 17 **Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point ## Key facts - Price: from €100 per person - Duration: 3h - Rating: 4.71/5 from 35 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: Visit the Hidden Paris - Minimum booking: 2 travellers at this price - Group: Shared tour - Guide languages: English - Start times: 14:00 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-10-01 ## Reviews 4.71 from 35 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 94% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 33 of 35. - 5 stars: 31 (89%) - 4 stars: 2 (6%) - 3 stars: 0 (0%) - 2 stars: 0 (0%) - 1 star: 2 (6%) ### What reviewers say Most reviewers value the literary context and visual material, though some find the commentary superficial **Praised:** - Detailed context on the writers' lives, relationships and work - Photos, audio and video that add context to the literary history - Visits to the writers' former homes and gathering places - Answers to questions and adjustments to personal interests **Complaints:** - Some find the commentary basic and reliant on reading, while others praise its literary depth Written by Guidekin from the 35 most recent English reviews on Viator & Tripadvisor (2021-10-21 to 2026-06-21); last checked 2026-10-03. ## What's included - Local guide - A tablet is used by the guide to present photo & video documentation, and for reading excerpts of works from each author ## Not included - Transportation to & from meeting point - Food & beverage not included ## Itinerary 1. **Place de la Contrescarpe** (30m) - We start off in a pleasant café with a short introduction to the Lost Generation authors and their involvement in WW1. Guests are requested to enjoy a cup of coffee while we begin the tour. 2. **Rue Mouffetard** (10m) - We visit the first flat where Ernest Hemingway lived & learn about his early years. We also visit the place where James Joyce finished his masterpiece Ulysses, in the face of much opposition. 3. **Odeon** (15m) - We visit the original location of the famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, a 2nd home to so many of the Lost Generation writers - Hemingway, Pound, Stein & most especially Joyce. 4. **We visit the homes of the Lost Generation authors around the Luxembourg garde...** (30m) - We visit the homes of the Lost Generation authors around the Luxembourg gardens : Man Ray, William Faulkner, Hemingway (again) 5. **Montparnasse Quartier** (30m) - We end the tour in one of the famed Montparnasse cafés, where all the Lost Generation writers came to party back in the 1920s. Guests are invited to enjoy a drink while we discuss the Fitzgeralds & their tragic end; Ezra Pound, with his outstanding talent & his despicable... ## Schedule - Runs: Sat - Departures: 14:00 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-01 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point Meeting point is in front of the Café la Contrescarpe, on the Place Contrescarpe Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJW1o4Mu9x5kcRrYWfo9Q-rE0 Ends: We end the tour in 1 of two possible locations - - one of the famed cafés of Montparnasse (Le Select, La Rotonde, Le Dome...) - Harry's NY Bar near the Opera ## Good to know - Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller - Service animals allowed - Public transportation options are available nearby - Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness - Please note that I have been vaccinated (5x) ## Compared with other Walking Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #43 of 54** | €100 | 3h | 4.71 (35) | shared | | [Paris City Center Free Walking Tour (Tip-Based)](/france/paris/tours/paris-city-center-free-walking-tour-tip-based/?format=md) | €3 per group | 2h 15m | 4.97 (2147) | shared | | [Montmartre District and Sacre Coeur - Exclusive Guided Walking Tour](/france/paris/tours/montmartre-district-and-sacre-coeur-exclusive-guided-walking-tour/?format=md) | €55 | 2h 30m | 4.98 (418) | private | | [Paris Highlights: Half Day Private Walking Tour](/france/paris/tours/paris-highlights-half-day-private-walking-tour/?format=md) | €350 per group | 3h | 5.0 (206) | private | Ranked #43 of 54 in Walking Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €1 to €225, median €55; typical length 2h 15m. 13 of 54 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/france/paris/walking-tours-paris/?format=md ## More in Paris - All Paris tours: https://guidekin.com/france/paris/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/france/paris/tours/paris-1920-lost-generation-writers-of-the-left-bank-small-group-walking-tour/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/france/paris/?format=md