Cabarets in Paris

Paris cabarets add the city its special charm and are an integral part of all tourist programs.

The first cabaret appeared under Napoleon III, the first French President, when he banned singing “chanson” outdoors. Soon cabarets became focused on the male audience. Nowadays they welcome families as the attention is paid to dancing skills.

The most famous cabaret is undoubtedly The Moulin Rouge. It opened its doors more than 100 years ago. The can-can was created there. Interesting to know, that in the early twentieth century the aim of the owner was not to surprise the audience, but to shock.

Crazy Horse. This cabaret is known for special performances. The owners invite celebrities to the “Crazy Horse” shows. So at different times there appeared the burlesque queen Dita Von Teese, the “Playboy girl” – Pamela Anderson and well known Carmen Electra.

Lido. This cabaret was founded by Italians who came to Paris. Their main invention was the format: dinner + show, which became so popular that it was copied by other cabarets. A bottle of champagne for each guest is a visiting card of Lido.

Cabaret Mugler is the youngest Parisian cabaret. It opened this autumn. The performance focuses on the customers who may afford more than the average tourist.

You choose where to go, but to our mind, better visit the traditional Moulin Rouge or provocative Crazy Horse.

Certainly, many of you know the legendary Moulin Rouge, about which many stories have been written and even a movie has been shot. However, this article will tell about other well-known Parisian cabaret – “Crazy Horse”.

All visitors of this entertaining house leaves it very impressed, because everything here is done in order to give pleasure. Crazy Horse cabaret is a combination of naked bodies of beautiful women, music, dance and light. At the same time all is fun and grotesque, what attracts to the cabaret even real Puritans, who usually try to keep clear of strip clubs.

Crazy Horse offers solo and group dance performances. There are numbers, in which the dancers appear on the stage in beautiful costumes, a few minutes later sending their stockings, shoes, dresses to the auditorium… And this is done in the best tradition of the classic cabarets. In other shows the girls are on stage completely naked, obvolute with a light haze of subdued light.

Speaking on Crazy Horse cabaret it is impossible not to talk about its founder – Mr. Alain Bernardin. Being a thirty-five age, he bought the old wine cellars and turned them into the salon, whose style was American Wild West. Of course, the name of the cabaret had to satisfy its image. And “Crazy Horse” fits very well.

Unfortunately for the owner, this idea was not very popular among Parisian public and he had to change a concept of the cabaret. Those years (the late 1950s) the burlesque genre had a great popularity in America. Alain Bernardin decided to use it in his updated Crazy Horse. The idea was very successful. The cabaret has become very popular among Parisians and numerous guests of the city. Extravaganza of the shows attracted tourists from all over the world.

However, the usual genre of erotic show did not suit the owner, Alain had looked for something new and unusual constantly. He wanted to put the cabaret onto the level of the genuine art. Bernardin became like a sculptor, and his tools were beautiful female bodies and light.

Crazy Horse cabaret pleases its visitors for the last sixty years, more than five hundred dancers of different nationalities performed on its legendary stage. In 2007 the interior of the cabaret was renewed, but the new owners (children of Alain Bernardin) managed to keep its legendary style, charm and atmosphere.

The location of the cabaret – Avenue George V – can be called elite. For example, there are boutiques of such famous brands as Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga.

Organizers of the show offer tickets of two types: 1st – champagne + performance; 2nd – dinner + performance. Prestigious restaurants of Paris are the gastronomic partners of Crazy Horse, so you can be sure that dinner in the cabaret will be very good.

Talking about the best Parisian cabarets, we can’t go by a cabaret Lido – a representative of TOP-4 the most popular and famous cabarets of the French capital, along with Moulin Rouge, Crazy Horse and Paradis Latin.

In spite of Le Lido is the youngest of them, it’s an elegant and exquisite entertaining facility attracting even the most demanding audience.

Cabaret Lido surfaced on Champs-Elysses only in 1946 (it can be called a child age versus Moulin Rouge, for example) thanks to brothers of Clerico (Louis and Joseph). Enterprising relatives, seeing a need of the post war city in an unusual entertainments, had combined at Lido musical and dance traditions of a classic French cabaret and unrestrained of magnificent American Broadway. And as time showed, the brothers’ idea was more than successful – their creation got the world-wide glory.

Today, cabaret Lido is a high-level mix of traditional French cancan, east dances, shows of jugglers and conjurers, and even horsemen. Performances at the cabaret are so bright and thrilling, more than 500 thousand people from around the world visit it every year, who come to Paris looking for a real fest.

Also we should to say some words about the name of the cabaret. Lido is a well-known beach in Venice. And by one legend, Louis and Joseph arrived to Paris from this great town. Another version says that previously in the building where the cabaret was opened, there was a lot of paintings with that beach.

The main reason of Lido’s success is the system introduced by the owners – it combined unique entertainment turns and very tasteful dinner, cooked by the best cooks, which takes place before the performance to the accompaniment of beautiful jazz melodies. Later this system became popular at other institutions, not only in Paris and France.

However, firstly Lido is a cabaret, that’s why to be popular it needed the best performances. In 1948, the cabaret started a profitable cooperation with Margaret Kelly, who came here with a wonderful dance group «Bluebell Girls» – and the ladies had conquered Paris by their chic programs – sensate and sexy!

In 1977, cabaret Lido moved into a new placement at Champs-Elysées, which had been rearranged specially, and became an ideal place for admirable scenery making the show more colorful and interesting, without any limits for producers and directors.

Cabaret Lido presents its guests an amazing atmosphere of a true French charm, exquisite performances and wonderful French cuisine.

The evening here starts with the dinner at 7 p.m., with a glass of champagne from the chef. At 9 p.m. performance of the actors starts and ends past midnight.

Address of Le Lido de Paris: 16 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris.

Give yourself a fest – visit cabaret Lido!

Moulin Rouge and Crazy Horse. But they are not the only such establishments covered with glory and came into history of the French capital. From the point of fabulosity and popularity,the cabaret Paradis Latin is on the same level with foregoing ones.

History of the cabaret began in the beginning of the 19th century, when the Emperor Napoleon decided to establish Latin Theatre in Paris. And as the Emperor wants something, mere mortals have to fulfil his wishes – thus, the theater was born and had become famous as a cabaret.

We have to admit that Latin Theatre became popular right away, and its regular visitors were representatives of different estates: students, journalists, intellectuals, writers, merchants, bankers, politicians and others. Merimee, Dumas and Balzac had spend a lot of bright nights here – and the theatre itself always gladdened the audience with atmosphere of art.

In 1889, Latin Theatre was officially transformed into the cabaret Paradis Latin with sold out performances every night, famed far away from Paris. Especially in the times when the «headliner» of performances was a legend of the scene – Yvette Guilbert (later she became a prima in Moulin Rouge cabaret).

The «queen’s» leaving and growing popularity of Montmartre led the cabaret Paradis Latin into decay and complete closure. However, former greatness and glory were renewed – in 1977, the cabaret had opened its doors again, and its art director became Jean-Marie Riviere. Fantastic performances Champagne, Nuit de Paradis, Paradis l’Amur, Paradis a La Folie and Viva Paradis allowed Paradis Latin to be back to the pantheon of the greatest cabarets in Paris.

Nowadays performances at the cabaret Paradis Latin attract the audience of different ages – these are bright, colorful shows with amazing scenery, daring dances and chic dresses of the dancers – just unforgettable pleasure for your eyes!

The cabaret Paradis Latin is located on 28 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. Official site – www.paradislatin.com

Time runs forward inexorably and old amusements have being changed by new ones, “globalization” influences too. Nevertheless, authentic places with their inimitable charm as yet exist – and Paris could not be Paris without them.

One of such places is the cabaret Agile Rabbit (Lapin Agile) in Montmartre.

There is no it in standard guide-books for tourists, but if you visit the Rabbit you will keep a piece of a true Paris in your soul forever.

The cabaret Lapin Agile stands out from usual frameworks. Here there is no a special stage for performers – as the guests, they seat at the tables and on the benches. And a bewitching semi-darkness creates an atmosphere of the past reminding Montmartre’s bohemian times.

The ground floor of the cabaret – a small hall for guests and a cloakroom. The main action is going on upstairs, in a rather small hall as well.

So, by what the cabaret Lapin Agile attracts its audience? French folk songs, popular hits of the famous performers – from Edith Piaf to Joe Dassin and Charles Aznavour. And all this happens to the accompaniment of accordion, guitar and piano.

At the cabaret, there are no microphones, speakers and other modern equipment. Musicians play, singers sing, and the audience supports them by voices. In the pauses between songs, the verses sound, the actors show the short plays.

The cabaret Lapin Agile was established in 1795 (as a tavern The Thieves’ Meeting) and nowadays is one of the oldest amusement places in Paris.

Going here, do not forget to have a lunch, because at Lapin Agile there is no food – it has not to draw your attention away from a vivid action. But the drinks there are here – the first one (as usual, it’s a homemade cherry liqueur) even included in the ticket price.

How to find the cabaret Lapin Agile? Look for it on the northern side of the top Montmartre. An old building with a rabbit with a bottle of wine on the wall. The name of the cabaret is written too.

Address of the cabaret Lapin Agile: 22 Rue des Saules, Paris 75018.

Want some joy and fun? Go to the places where it is not just words, but a true philosophy and meaning of life. We would like to show you such a place. Cabaret Aux Trois Mailletz!

Rich history and unforgettable revel – that’s Aux Trois Mailletz. You won’t find the cabaret on maps of the main tourist routes, but if you were there you would never forget it. Just at that spot you can see the true cosmopolitan French soul, meet the true Frenchmen and, naturally, have a nice time. Well-wishing folks and atmosphere, wonderful music (you may trust, such legendary persons as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Lil Armstrong performed in the cabaret), songs and dances till dawn – even waiters and waitresses sing here, and the visitors may dance on tables.

Going to Paris for a good spirit, move your body to the cabaret Aux Trois Mailletz without any doubt!

Located at 58 Rue Galande 75005 Paris in the famous Saint-Michel.