I V Y Paris News: Jim Haynes' Legendary Paris Salon

From our archives, a post from back in the day, 2024.
That famous address. The one and only Jim Haynes. I stop by to pick up virgin copies of the Jim's "People to People" books. Jim and I chat about Dorothy Parker and I am reminded that I still need to read Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller (I've caught up now). Here he is with a filing cabinet of his address filo-faxes containing the names and addresses of fascinating souls from all over the globe. Who just happened to stop by his home in Paris. More than 100 000 of them.

It's funny to think how many times I have been at Jim's, researching topics, picking his brains, listening to tales of intrepid reporting from the Cannes Film Festival in the 70's. How often I've been at the Sunday night dinners, sometimes paying, sometimes for free (thanks Jim) when I was skint and/or involved in making food for the guests, including one fateful time - Lentil Stew for 100 people with Whitey Flagg (with whom I opened the first I V Y paris gallery).

Jim is a person who has been of enormous importance to me since I came to Paris. I first found my creative feet at the Sunday night Salons and the people I met there gave me the support and affection I needed to bring to fruition some of my ideas and projects. It was here that I first discovered People to People, the books which form the basis of "The Future is Bleak Uncertain and Beautiful" - the piece I am working on for the LA show. I highly recommend his book "Thanks for Coming" - pun intended - and it reads like a role call of famous names and happenings - Jim drops them all; Samuel Beckett to Yoko Ono, Vladimir Putin to Charles Bukowski. But most impressive (for me), he once spoke for 30 minutes to MARLENE DIETRICH!

Every time you think something is crazy and how can you possibly carry it off I recommend you do as I do and periodically dip into some Haynes anthology and renew your brim and vigour. My favourite story begins when Jim is an Edinburgh undergraduate with 600 quid in his pocket. Next day he stumbles upon a broken down, stuffed to the gills junk shop and asks the old lady how much she wants for the premises. She says £300 and he opens the doors next day with a sign saying "Everything Free" which guts the shop as people arrive to take what they like. The store soon becomes "The Paperback" and later the spiritual home of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Every Sunday night you will find a warm welcome Chez Jim. Even if you’re only visiting Paris for a short time make sure you drop by. It’s a great mixture of French and English speaking Parisians and those just passing through. You are guaranteed to have many interesting moments and will be treated to a dinner with a global feel as one of Jim’s international crowd guest chef each week. Seamus is always serving though. You’ll have to balance your plate from the nearest bookshelf as space is limited and you’ll probably have to eat standing up. You get an extra helping if you can prove Jim slept with your Mum in the Sixties. Forget August as he descends on Edinburgh for about a month to make his annual pilgrimage to the Fringe Festival which he initiated during his time there.