Anais Nin, Henry Miller, & the Villa Seurat

Improbable Walks

In this episode, we stroll into a hidden gem behind the well-known streets of Montparnasse: the Villa Seurat. This is a small street described in the famous Diaries of Anais Nin. Villa Seurat also appears in the work of her lover, Henry Miller, although he disguises the identity of the street by calling it “Villa Borghese”. This part of the 14th arrondissement really conjures the neighborhood feel of the 1920s and 30s, when artists and writers from all over the world filled the streets of Montparnasse, dreaming and creating and have emotional epiphanies up and down the block. For photos, please check out my website. Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise and general know-how. The Improbable Walks theme music is performed by David Symons, New Orleans accordionist extraordinaire.