Places To See If You Love French Lit

A bibliophile’s trip to France is never complete without a stop at some of these top French literature spots.

Visit the Château de Monte-Cristo in Le Port-Marly, the historic home of Alexandre Dumas, author of both The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte-Cristo. The elegant and eccentric décor ranges from a Moorish salon to a miniature castle surrounded by a moat. The landscaping is equally impressive, with English-style greenery and water features just as originally designed by Dumas.

Restaurant Le Procope in Paris is a great place to grab a scrumptious bite to eat for those appreciative of restaurants with both history and a literary reputation. The eatery was founded in 1686 and hosted everyone from Rousseau and Voltaire to Hugo, with a few other famous faces thrown in for good measure, such as Benjamin Franklin.

Speaking of Hugo, if you love his work, you’ll love Place Des Vosges, also in Paris. The apartment Hugo rented 1832–1846 is still furnished with his belongings and creations. The library is stocked with first editions, original drawings, photographs, proof sheets, newspapers and more, and is constantly growing to this day, as documents related to Hugo’s life are donated.

Another popular Parisian restaurant on the literary scene is Lapérouse. The restaurant, founded in 1766 by the king’s beverage manufacturer, became a meeting place for the artistic crowd about a century after its inception. Famous figures to enter its doors include Émile Zola, Victor Hugo, George Sand and Gustave Flaubert.

The Palais Garnier is often credited as the inspiration for The Phantom of the Opera, the novel coming before the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical most are familiar with. Take a tour or see one of this season’s shows.