Book benches

A square behind the Institut de France with its book benches signals entry into Literary Paris, where many writers, composers, artists, intellectuals and bons vivants flocked to in the early 20th century in search of the like-minded.

Manuscripts for sale

Authenticated original manuscripts and scraps of writings by the likes of Sartre, Kafka, Freud, Proust, Man Ray, Voltaire, Rimbaud and other luminaries for sale in a Left Bank shop.

Guimauves

Many local pastry shops make their own guimauves (marshmallows) from scratch.
These giant raspberry-flavored ones will disappear fast.

Night browser

A man browses through used books in bins outside a papeterie that's open late.

Stairway to...?

 

Up on the butte stairways lead to other stairways.

Above: graffiti lends a splash of color

Saucissons

A tempting array of ready-to-eat sausages hangs in a window.
In the background: reflection of a kiosk, a pharmacy, trees.

Dora

The bust of a young woman by Pablo Picasso represents Dora Maar, darling of the Left Bank literary and artistic set at the height of La Belle Époque.