I don’t know about you but one of the joys of travelling – for me – is finding bars and cool places to eat. And this is particularly the case when those places have a history. Harry’s New York Bar in Paris is an excellent example.
The place was opened in 1911 and a genuine wooden bar was imported from the States. Over the years, it has been a popular haunt for Americans who are in Paris – and others of course. It’s said that many well-known cocktails were firsr developed at Harry’s.
And it’s certainly had some famous visitors and patrons such as:
- Ernest Hemingway (as you might expect)
- Exiled ex-king of England, the Duke of Windsor
- Rita Hayworth
- George Gershwin
- Ramon Novarro
- Humphrey Bogart
- Coco Chanel
- Sinclair Lewis
There were many more and it makes me wonder whether the phrase ‘if walls could speak’ was invented for Harry’s Bar. Imagine the conversations – picture George Gershwin composing An American in Paris in the piano bar….
Snack meals are served but the real highlights of Harry’s – in addition to the history – are the cocktails and the lively piano bar. Yes, the piano Gershwin used is still there…
You can see from the map further down the page just how well-located it is.
During US election years, the bar runs its own informal voting. Although this is informal, it is treated seriously by the staff and the patrons as they vote for the official candidate of their choice. The first time this happened was in 1924 and the tradition continues to this day.
The patrons of Harry’s Bar has almost always reflected the views of the American people. They have accurately predicted the USA results in most cases, the exceptions being 1976, 2004 … and 2016.
HOW TO FIND HARRY’S BAR
Harry's Bar
5, Rue Daunou
PARIS
ARTICLE BY:
Jackie
JJ is originally from the UK and has lived in South Florida since 1994. She is the founder and editor of JAQUO Magazine. You can connect with her using the social media icons below.