Paris cabarets are known the world over for their innovative and vibrant shows, with throngs of wild dancers on stage, covered in colourful, glittering sequins.
In the French capital, you can choose from a dozen theatres, including the famous Crazy Horse, the Moulin Rouge, the Lido and the Paradis Latin, which will entertain you with French cancan, catchy choreography and spectacular acrobatics.
The Can-Can is a Parisian tradition dating back more than a century.
The cancan, repetition of the first letters of the word ‘duck’, designates a quadrille from the mid-19th century. It draws its inspiration from the world of the washerwomen, used to flaunt their clean petticoats with pride and playfulness. Originally, it was a street, suburban dance, a way for ordinary women to express their rejection of authority, a gentle provocation in short.
Starting in 1860, Paris took on a new face under the leadership of the prefect Haussmann. Seduced by the popular enthusiasm aroused by this dance, also called ‘chahut’, Parisian theatres decided to turn it into a show to be performed every night. Cabarets of a new kind flourished everywhere, including café-concerts, dance halls and innovative theatres.
The epicentre of the artistic and cultural scene is Montmartre, cradle of the Belle Epoque, which attracts artists of all kinds: from Aristide Bruand to Van Gogh, from Verlaine to Toulouse-Lautrec.
In 1889, the Moulin Rouge in Pigalle revolutionised nightlife with its imaginative dance revues and its French Cancan, followed later by the Crazy Horse and Paradis Latin, before opening, in 1946, the first transvestite cabaret in Paris, Madame Arthur.
The art of waving petticoats, the leg thrown up as high as possible, black stockings, splits and all kinds of contortions and acrobatics, all to the frenetic rhythm of Offenbach‘s music, created an image of an emancipated and libertine woman that became famous throughout the world.
This phenomenon was even exported across the Atlantic, to the saloons of the Far West, much to the delight of the cowboys.
Since 1889, the Moulin Rouge, created by Joseph Oller in Pigalle, has brilliantly fulfilled its role as the chic and libertine ambassador of Parisian nights. Every night, the same ritual: as soon as Offenbach’s music plays, the dancers in tricolour skirts launch into the frenetic French Cancan, of undisputed and worldwide fame.
Immortalised on film by director Baz Luhrmann in 2001, this cabaret remains, with its Féerie revue, the guardian of the spirit of Montmartre where, at the end of the 19th century, the whole of Paris rushed to applaud La Goulue, star of the establishment.
A spirit that is still very much alive today, immersing you in the Paris of the Belle Epoque to the rhythm of its frenetic choreography, while you delight in excellent gourmet dinners.
In spite of the tradition, the famous Féerie show has been staged since 1999 : the 60 beautiful Doriss Girls take turns with jugglers and acrobats, dancing covered in feathers and diamonds, to the rhythm of musical entertainment performed live by 80 musicians and 60 choristers.
The great protagonist of the evening is always the champagne, which is served during the exclusive dinner with a menu to choose from, among those that the chef Maison Dalloyau creates from scratch every year, inspired by traditional French gastronomy: you can enjoy an unforgettable evening, inside the splendid 850-seat Belle Epoque-style hall.
At the Crazy Horse, opened in 1951 by Alain Bernardin near the Champs-Élysées, the star is red. Red like the velvet of its walls, red like the soles of Christian Louboutin’s iconic shoes of his Crazy Girls, red like the delicate eroticism of his magazine paintings.
Unlike the other shows on stage, those at the Crazy Horse are distinctly sensual and daring, and its dancers are selected according to strict criteria of artistic prowess with strict aesthetic standards. In addition, the special effects are amazing, the costumes precious, the musical rhythms enthralling and the venue extremely elegant, a perfect mix that will make your experience unique.
The Crazy Horse touch is the play of light on the dancers’ naked bodies. Philippe Decouflé’s latest revue, Totally Crazy, playfully revisits his legendary numbers. A mischievous evening to enjoy with a glass of champagne in hand before or after dinner on the world’s most beautiful boulevard.
The Lido has the advantage of being located on the Champs-Elysées, right next to the Arc de Triomphe. The location is stunning and alone worth the visit: inside a large building called Normandie, the Lido covers an area of 6000 square metres with 1150 seats. You will be breathless to admire the 2 million crystals decorating the interior and the chandelier with 40,000 pendants, which create plays of light on the 200 kilos of feathers used for the costumes, while 45 musical instruments bring the evening entertainment to life.
Since 2015, you can admire the Paris Merveilles revue that upsets the codes of traditional cabaret with rhinestones and sequins. This new creation by Franco Dragone, artistic director of Cirque du Soleil, is a tribute and celebration of Parisian elegance, and the dancers wear extravagant hats and magnificent glittering costumes. The main stage welcomes almost 70 performers, dancers and acrobats to give you an exceptional evening full of luxury and special effects.
With its imposing metal structure, the Paradis Latin, not far from Notre-Dame, offers a spectacle both on stage and in its auditorium. Underneath this steel cathedral, built in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel, dancers follow one another to reveal the eccentric facets of the Parisian party.
Paradis Latin is the oldest of Parisian cabarets, located in the Latin Quarter. From 2019, the Oiseau Paradis show is masterfully directed by Kamel Ouali, and enriched by former Miss France and Miss Universe, Iris Mittenaere. The show is rejuvenated and refreshed, but retains the codes of traditional cabaret with its rhinestones and sequins.
It is a dynamic, poetic and sensual show in which breathtaking artists come together in fifteen exceptional settings. A great show for an unforgettable evening.
Brasil Tropical, located in the Montparnasse district, is the largest Brazilian cabaret in Paris. In an exotic and warm ambience, you will first discover Brazilian culinary traditions to the rhythm of salsa, samba and lambada, before watching Zaza Fernandez’s wonderful revue take you to the dance floor.
The generous flavours of a typical dinner, the wild rhythms and the charm of a show will transport you to the tropics until late at night, when it continues with DJs for an endless evening.
A legendary address in the famous Montmartre district, Cabaret Michou has been the burlesque venue on rue des Martyrs since 1956.
Every night, this veritable institution sees Les Michettes, transforming artists in the guise of Mylène Farmer, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Chantal Goya and many others, take the stage. It is an occasion to honour the memory of the Blue Prince of Montmartre, an indispensable figure of Parisian nights, all in a good-natured and bubbly atmosphere.
Located at 32 rue Richer, on the Grands Boulevards in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, the Folies Bergère has quickly established itself as one of the highlights of European cultural life.
Inaugurated at the dawn of war in 1870, this legendary performance hall saw the birth of the world’s first theatre and music revue more than 130 years ago. From its creation to the present day, the Folies Bergère theatre has inspired the most talented artists of their time. Jean Gabin, Mistinguett, Joséphine Baker, Charles Trenet and Maurice Chevalier, for example, have enjoyed considerable success there. Today, the performance hall mainly hosts jazz concerts, comedy shows and musicals.
Classified as a historical monument since 7 November 1990, the Folies Bergère was designed by architect Plumeret in the style of an opera house. Its architecture perfectly symbolises the end of the Second Empire. The building was completely renovated between the wars and features a beautiful Art Deco façade. The hall today has a maximum capacity of 1,600 seats distributed on three levels.
Opened in the heart of the Pigalle district in 1947, Madame Arthur was the first transvestite cabaret in Paris. To the sound of French music, the performers put on a show with colourful costumes and a multitude of sequins.
Every weekend, the night continues with Guigui Pop and ends with the sound of DJ turntables until the early hours of the morning.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
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