1920s Paris: 21 Vintage Photos That'll Take You To The Crazy Years Of Paris

By Elisabeth Sherman | Edited By Savannah Cox

Published August 17, 2016

Updated November 14, 2017

You probably know the City of Lights as one of most romantic places in the world. And nearly a century ago, with horse-drawn carriages clopping down cobblestone streets and the whole thing preserved for history in luscious black-and-white, that was truer than ever. Immerse yourself in 1920s Paris with these incredible vintage photos:

Horticulture Exhibition Grand Palais 1922

1 of 22

A boat on the Seine River in 1926, with a view of the Eiffel Tower in the background. National Library of France

2 of 22

Children boxing in an outdoor match, 1921. National Library of France

3 of 22

Looking down the Rue de Seine, as shot by the pioneer of documentary photography, Eugène Atget, circa 1924.Eugène Atget/Wikimedia Commons

4 of 22

Cyclists, 1920.National Library of France

5 of 22

A horticulture exhibition at the Grand Palais in 1922. National Library of France

6 of 22

The Jardin de Tuileries taken by the little-known photographer, Yvon.Yvon/Editions Yvon

7 of 22

Street cleaners clear slushy snow off the sidewalk, 1922. National Library of France

8 of 22

The Longchamp Racecourse, 1926. National Library of France

9 of 22

The queen of the Mi-Carême parade on her float, 1921.National Library of France

10 of 22

A nun walks down a street in the Montmartre neighborhood in 1929. National Library of France

11 of 22

Palm Sunday, 1922. National Library of France

12 of 22

The quiet Quai Saint-Michel, as photographed by Yvon. Yvon/Editions Yvon

13 of 22

The Place De L'Opera, 1926. National Library of France

14 of 22

From left, the writers James Joyce, Ezra Pound, John Quinn, and Ford Madox Ford, 1923. New York Public Library

15 of 22

Eugène Atget captured this prostitute sitting in front of her door in 1921. Eugène Atget; Wikimedia Commons

16 of 22

The Quai de la Mégisserie, as photographed by Yvon. Yvon/Editions Yvon

17 of 22

A man gets his shoes shined, 1929. National Library of France

18 of 22

A busy train station, 1929. National Library of France

19 of 22

A young woman leans up against a wall, 1925. National Library of France.

20 of 22

A women's car rally hosts hot air balloons, 1926. National Library of France

21 of 22

Eugene Atget's shot of the Pantheon on a foggy day, circa 1924.Eugène Atget/Wikimedia Commons

22 of 22

21 Stunning Vintage Photos Of The Années Folles Of 1920s Paris

View Gallery

If you loved these photos, check out these stunning images from 1960s Paris. Then, discover what life is like inside a tiny Parisian apartment.

author

Elisabeth Sherman is a writer living in Jersey City, New Jersey. She holds a Master's in writing from Columbia University, and her work has appeared in Food & Wine, The Guardian, Yahoo, BBC, HuffPost, VICE, MSN, and Vulture.

editor

Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.

Citation copied

COPY

Sherman, Elisabeth. "21 Stunning Vintage Photos Of The Années Folles Of 1920s Paris." AllThatsInteresting.com, August 17, 2016, https://allthatsinteresting.com/1920s-paris. Accessed August 6, 2025.