GAY & LESBIAN TRAVEL STORIES

Lesbian Literary Paris

It's hard to tromp about Paris without running into something literary. Whether it's a sidewalk scene memorialized in a book, or a plaque commemorating a historic address where someone from the canon resided, Paris is a seemingly never-ending wonderland for those of us who never could get our head out of a book. Pre and post-World War II lesbian literary history converged in Paris, creating a vibrant and busy artistic scene, the haunts of which have become legendary. After reading my fair share of Colette, Djuna Barnes, and Gertrude Stein, and hearing of Sylvia Beach's works and the original Shakespeare & Company bookstore, and Natalie Barney's famous literary salons, I knew the pilgrimage's time had come. So I set off to walk in the footsteps of some of lesbian literature's heroes.

I figured, if you're going to drudge up history, it can't hurt to commune with the spirits, right? So I started at Pere-Lachaise Cemetery (16 rue de Repos, 20th Arrondissment), final resting place of Colette, Stein, Sarah Bernhardt, Marcel Proust, and Oscar Wilde among so many others. There aren't many other cemeteries where the sheer volume of famous spirit is so large. It's free, although the few euros for a map at the entrance help make for a more organized walk about the 100 acres of some of the most beautiful graves ever dug. Stein's grave is simple and unassuming, with the name and dates of her beloved Alice B. Toklas fittingly engraved in the back of her granite tombstone. Forever together, though Toklas a little more in shadow. Colette's tomb is also rather plain and unassuming, though littered with the flowers of many admirers. Wandering through the cemetery can take up a good chunk of an afternoon, as many graves are tucked in away from either of the entrances, so plan a little time to wander here and soak it in.

I then headed over to the red-light district Pigalle, near Montmartre. The area is dedicated to those of more prurient interest but is home to the infamous Moulin Rouge (82 Boulevard de Clichy, 18th Arrondissement; tel. 33-1-53-09-82-82) with its telltale windmill out front. Well before it was a made into a movie and moved into its current, very touristy state, this cabaret was home to the infamous 1907 onstage kiss between Colette and offstage lover Mathilde de Morny during a show. Police were brought in to settle the crowd and all future performances of the show were cancelled. (That must've been quite a kiss!) You can still have dinner and see a show here, but no Colette or Toulouse Lautrec in his absinthe addled way to keep you company. Too bad, they seemed to have quite a time here.

Just up the hill is the beautiful and artistic Montmartre area, historic home to painters, writers, and bohemians of all stripes. I didn't want to walk the hill (think San Francisco) and jumped on the great bus that picks up near Pigalle and runs all over the area ending at Sacre-Coeur. The fare is the same as other city busses and covered if you have a day pass on the Metro. The ways in which the driver takes the summit and winds along the sidewalks is a little hair-raising, but also a good story for the folks back home. While Picasso lived many places in Paris, no. 13 rue Gabrielle was in this one that he painted his famous pre-Cubist portrait of Gertrude Stein, the one that would grace the walls of her salon for years. If you want your own portrait done to hang in your salon, head over to Place du Tertre where current day artists showcase their art and create new works on the spot.

After a good afternoon of wandering and in need of actual lesbians and not their ghosts, I took the bus back down and hopped on the Metro to head over to Marais, Paris' gay district. I stopped in at the lesbian bar La Champmeslé (4 rue Chabanais,2nd Arrondissement; Tel. 33-1-42-96-85-20) for an end-of-the-day drink. Named after the 17th century actress of the same name, opened in the late 1970s, giving it a bit of history of its own. There's a monthly art exhibit of mostly lesbian artists, and the bar is home to a popular Thursday night cabaret show. And if you're looking for somewhere to go late, the bar is open until 3 a.m. most nights except Friday and Saturday when it's open until dawn.