Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Le Café La Palette is an emblematic establishment in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, located at the crossroads of Rue de Seine and Rue Jacques-Callot. Founded in the 2nd quarter of the 20th century, it is distinguished by its interior architecture, including a second room decorated with ceramics of the 1930s-1940s and paintings, including one representing the young owners. Its terrace, overlooking Rue Jacques-Callot, makes it a popular place for its historic and lively atmosphere.

Originally, La Palette was a gathering place for students of nearby Fine Arts, attracting major figures of art and literature. His famous regulars include Cézanne, Picasso, Braque, Ernest Hemingway, and later Jim Morrison. Contemporary personalities such as Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, and Jacques Chirac – then a neighbour – also visited the terrace. The café has evolved to become a trendy place, mixing young Parisians and tourists, while maintaining its historical charm.

The front and interior of the second café hall were inscribed in the historic monuments by a decree of 23 May 1984 recognizing their heritage value. The venue was also used as a setting for cultural works, such as Gérard Oury's film Le Coup du Umbrella (1980) and Paul Auster's novel Invisible (2009), where the main character goes on several occasions.

The two rooms of the café reflect its artistic history: the first, narrow, serves as a bar and is decorated with canvases and palettes offered by guest-artists, while the second, more spacious, has six ceramic panels illustrating the life of coffee in the 1930s-1940s. These elements are a living testimony of the 20th century's Bohemian and cultural life in Paris.

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