Closerie des Lilas

The Closerie des Lilas is a famous Parisian restaurant (or "brasserie") located on the boulevard du Montparnasse in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.

History
It was opened in 1847 by Francois Bullier and was a simple brasserie at the beginning. Initially, it was called after a theater piece called « La Closerie des Genets » of Frédéric Soulié. It progressively evolved into the "Closerie des Lilas" because its owner, Bullier, used to plant lilac flowers.

Many artists and intellectuals adopted the habit to spend time there: Émile Zola, Ernest Hemingway, and many others.

Between the two World wars, the restaurant modernized, adopted a style Art-Deco, and became more expensive.