What is a salon? A salon is a fancy word for gathering. Historically, salons are rooted in the French literary and philosophical movements of the 17th and 18th centuries. During this time and later, they consisted of groups of like-minded people who gathered together under one roof to socialize, educate one another on various intellectual and social issues, refine their tastes in literature, the arts, and other areas of learning, and for amusement. These gatherings often consciously followed H …