Stroll in Colette's footsteps in Paris, the Palais-Royal gardens from her balcony

To walk in Colette's footsteps is to smell the perfume of a Paris that is both delicate and audacious. For the walker, every stone whispers the echo of a powerful yet delicate feminine voice, of a woman who lived, loved and wrote without compromise.

By following in her footsteps, we discover a little of Colette: curious, free, attentive to detail and to the elegance of language and space. From her apartment in the Palais-Royal to her tomb in Père-Lachaise, via the square that bears her name, Colette guides us through the places that commemorate her literary legacy.

• To be read
• A walk in the footsteps of Albert Camus in Paris, between exile and resistance
• A walk in the footsteps of Simone de Beauvoir in Paris, between feminism, emancipation and free thought
• A stroll in the footsteps of Jean-Paul Sartre in Paris, from Café de Flore to Montparnasse

• Who was Colette? 

Celebrated for her frank look at passions, sensuality and the free woman, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954) is a major writer of the 20ᵉ century. After making her literary debut under the pseudonym Willy, she established her name and voice in works such as Chéri and Le Blé en herbe, while facing controversy - living out her love affairs and assuming her bisexuality. An extraordinary destiny, supported by a lively, sensual style of writing. A journalist and woman of letters, Colette was the second woman elected to theAcadémie Goncourt in 1945, and the first woman in France to receive a state funeral.

• Places to visit in Paris in the footsteps of Colette

9 rue de Beaujolais (1ᵉʳ arr.). Colette first lived in the entresol, a narrow "tunnel", from 1927 to 1929, then on the second floor overlooking the Palais-Royal gardens until her death in 1954. A place where her writing breathed and grew, and which is now adorned with a star on the façade, as a symbol.

L'allée Colette, in the gardens of the Palais-Royal. Inaugurated in 2019, this bucolic path pays tribute to the writer, underlining her deep connection with this romantic and intellectual place.

Place Colette (1ᵉʳ arr.). This square has been named after her since 1966 at the request of her daughter Colette de Jouvenel, under the auspices of then minister André Malraux.

Père-Lachaise cemetery (20ᵉ arr.). His tomb, a veritable open book in stone, rests in this place of memory, the ultimate symbol of his place in Parisian literature and culture.

The gardens of the Palais-Royal in Paris, a favorite of Parisians
The gardens of the Palais-Royal are one of the most popular spots for Parisians when the sun shines on the capital. We explain why. [Read more]

Père Lachaise, Paris's most mythical cemetery and the graves of famous personalities
The Père Lachaise cemetery is not only the largest cemetery in Paris, but also one of the most visited in the world. Whether for its history, its illustrious figures or even its legends, this place is a must-see in the capital. [Read more]