The Last Peaceful Summer in Pre-War Paris, 1939 (13 photos)

These photos turn 83 this year. They were taken by LIFE magazine photographer William Vandivert during an assignment in pre-war Paris. The people in the pictures have no idea that this is the city's last peaceful summer, or that their world is about to be turned upside down.







This was Paris in July 1939. Anyone recognize this spot?





Cars parked by the Vendôme Column.



Traffic flowing around the Arc de Triomphe.



Same location.



An advertisement for the National Lottery.



Parisians would spend the entire occupation sitting in cozy cafés just like these—though they likely had to settle for erzatz coffee instead of the real deal.



A flower market.



At first glance, I thought this was a flea market in the Warsaw Ghetto, but it turns out to be pre-war Paris as well.



And this one is a true classic: the bouquinistes' book stalls near Notre-Dame Cathedral. It seems they're still selling books there to this day.





At the Place de la Concorde.



The Bastille Day parade on July 14. Less than a year later, German troops would be marching down the Champs-Élysées.