The Closerie des Lilas (French pronunciation:[klozʁidelila]) is a famous Parisian restaurant (or brasserie) located on the Boulevard du Montparnasse in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.
It was opened in 1847 by François Bullier and was a simple brasserie at the beginning.[1] Initially, it was named after a theatre piece called La Closerie des Genets by Frédéric Soulié. It progressively evolved into the Closerie des Lilas because its owner, Bullier, used to plant lilac flowers.
Between the two world wars, the restaurant modernised, adopted an Art Deco style, and became more expensive.[2]
The literary tradition of the café is upheld by the Prix de la Closerie des Lilas, an annual prize (since 2007) awarded to contemporary women writers who write in the French language.
