The Cabarets
Categories : Leisure, Nearby, published on : 10/10/25
Paris, the City of Lights, is also famous for its nightlife. The Moulin Rouge, the Paradis Latin, and the Crazy Horse are iconic cabarets of Parisian life. But did you know that the very first cabaret in the world, Le Chat Noir, opened in Paris in 1881?
Until the end of the 19th century, a cabaret was a tavern where one could drink cheap alcohol, and sometimes even eat, depending on the establishment. Those where it was also possible to sleep were called inns.
The very first cabaret, in the sense we understand it today, was created in 1881 by Rodolphe Salis at the foot of Montmartre. Le Chat Noir was an innovative establishment, offering a good meal, washed down with cheap wine, all while enjoying entertainment that blended artistic performances (theater, poetry, songs, etc.) and political satire.
The success of the cabaret Le Chat Noir was meteoric; the Belle Époque, a prosperous and carefree period of social, economic, and technological progress, was beginning.
The Moulin Rouge
Also located at the foot of Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge opened its doors on October 6, 1889.
This music hall of a new kind, with its dance floor, mirrors, garden, and balls, became a hub of Parisian life, immortalized by Toulouse-Lautrec, and today world-renowned for its French Cancan and revues.
Great names have graced the stage of the legendary Moulin Rouge: La Goulue, the leading figure of the French Cancan; Mistinguett, the queen of the music hall who made her debut there in 1907; Edith Piaf; Yves Montand; then Charles Trenet; Charles Aznavour; Line Renaud; Bourvil; Roger Pierre and Jean-Marc Thibault; Fernand Raynaud...
Even today, in a whirlwind of feathers, rhinestones, and sequins, the Moulin Rouge presents its revue every night... not to be missed under any circumstances!
How to get to the Moulin Rouge from the Hotel Jardin Le Brea?
The Moulin Rouge - 82, boulevard de Clichy 75018 Paris
- From the Hotel Jardin Le Bréa, take metro line 12 to Notre-Dame-des-Champs (5-minute walk), direction Mairie d'Aubervilliers, and get off at Pigalle station. The Moulin Rouge is about a 7-minute walk from there.
The total travel time from our hotel is 28 minutes.
Practical Information
https://www.moulinrouge.fr/en/
The Paradis Latin
The oldest cabaret in Paris still operating today, the Paradis Latin, opened in January 1889.
Located in the heart of the Latin Quarter, the Paradis Latin's architecture dazzled audiences from the moment it opened. And for good reason! The building is the work of Gustave Eiffel, the father of the famous Eiffel Tower, who also built the Paradis Latin for the Universal Exposition held that same year.
Before the Paradis Latin, the site even housed the Théâtre Latin, founded in 1803 by Napoleon Bonaparte, but destroyed by fire in 1870.
Even today, the Paradis Latin remains true to the Parisian cabaret tradition by including a French Cancan number in each of its shows... don't miss the experience!
How to get to the Paradis Latin from the Hotel Jardin Le Brea?
Paradis Latin - 28 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris
- From the Hotel Jardin Le Bréa, take metro line 4 from Vavin station (1-minute walk), towards Porte de Clignancourt, get off at Odéon station, then take metro line 10 towards Gare d'Austerlitz, get off at Cardinal Lemoine station. The Paradis Latin is about a 4-minute walk from there.
The total travel time from our hotel is 18 minutes.
Practical Information
https://www.paradislatin.com/en/
The Crazy Horse
More recently, the Crazy Horse opened its doors in May 1951 in the Champs-Élysées district.
Its founder, Alain Bernardin, having returned from a trip to the United States fascinated by the showgirls and burlesque artists he had seen there, created a new kind of cabaret based on the aesthetics of the nude.
The most famous Crazy Horse number is "God Save Our Bareskin", featuring dancers in high boots and British Guardsman caps, marching in a military step to open every show since 1989 and still today.
Since 2006, the Crazy Horse has opened its stage to guest stars such as international diva Dita Von Teese, Arielle Dombasle, actresses Pamela Anderson and Clotilde Coureau, supermodel Noémie Lenoir, artist Conchita Wurst, and drag queen Violet Chachki. It has also collaborated with filmmaker David Lynch, shoe designer Christian Louboutin, choreographer and dancer Philippe Decouflé, and chic lingerie designer Chantal Thomass on the staging of its shows.
Don't miss the dazzling light shows, striking costumes, and original music of the Crazy Horse... and let yourself be captivated!
How to get to the Crazy Horse from the Hotel Jardin Le Brea?
The Crazy Horse - 12, avenue George V, 75008 Paris
- From the Hotel Jardin Le Bréa, take metro line 6 from Edgar Quinet station (5-minute walk), towards Charles de Gaulle - Étoile, get off at Trocadéro station, then take metro line 9 towards Mairie de Montreuil, get off at Alma-Marceau station. The Crazy Horse is about a 2-minute walk from there.
The total travel time from our hotel is 28 minutes.
Practical Information
https://www.lecrazyhorseparis.com/en/
Au Lapin Agile
Au Lapin Agile opened its doors as a cabaret in 1913.
Located in the heart of Montmartre, the establishment was, around 1860, an inn called Au Rendez-vous des Voleurs (The Thieves' Rendezvous), which became the Cabaret des Assassins (Cabaret of the Assassins) in 1869.
It owes its current name, Au Lapin Agile, to the painter and caricaturist André Gill, who gave it a new sign in 1879: a rabbit, dressed in a frock coat, scarf, and cap, quickly nicknamed "le Lapin à Gill" (Gill's Rabbit), which over time evolved into Lapin Agile (The Agile Rabbit).
Slated for demolition in 1913, it was then bought by Aristide Bruant, a songwriter and writer who frequented the establishment with his friend Toulouse-Lautrec, and managed by Frédé, a colorful figure in Montmartre life.
Au Lapin Agile became the meeting place for the artistic bohemians of the early 20th century, from Max Jacob to Pablo Picasso, including Blaise Cendrars, Guillaume Apollinaire, and Modigliani, and after the war, for Léo Ferré, Georges Brassens, and Claude Nougaro, who performed there for the first time.
Today, Au Lapin Agile presents shows that pay tribute to the heritage of French song.
How to get to Le Lapin Agile from the Hotel Jardin Le Brea?
Au Lapin Agile - 22, rue des Saules, 75018 Paris
- From the Hotel Jardin Le Bréa, take metro line 12 to Notre-Dame-des-Champs (5-minute walk), direction Mairie d'Aubervilliers, and get off at the Lamarck-Caulaincourt station. Le Lapin Agile is about a 5-minute walk from there.
The total travel time from our hotel is 30 minutes.
Practical Information
https://au-lapin-agile.com/en/accueil-english/
Madame Arthur - Divan du Monde
Located in the Pigalle district, at the foot of Montmartre, Madame Arthur is a musical cabaret that opened its doors in 1946.
But its origins date back to 1873, when Madame Arthur was called the Divan Japonais (Japanese Divan), due to its Japanese-inspired decor.
In 1894, the Divan Japonais was renamed Concert Lisbonne (Lisbon Concert), and caused a real scandal when the world's first striptease took place on its stage, resulting in a temporary closure.
In 1946, Monsieur Marcel, the new owner, renamed the cabaret Madame Arthur, in homage to the song "Madame Arthur" by Yvette Guilbert, who had performed there in 1891. The concert poster had been painted by none other than Toulouse-Lautrec. He transformed it into a drag cabaret, which became a landmark in the 1950s.
On stage, the artists performed accompanied by an orchestra, and Serge Gainsbourg even played piano there in 1954!
In 2015, Madame Arthur was taken over by Le Divan du Monde, an adjacent concert venue well-known to Parisians. Madame Arthur is Pigalle's Drag Musical Cabaret, and Le Divan du Monde is the club that will keep you dancing all night long!
How to get to Madame Arthur from the Hotel Jardin Le Brea?
Madame Arthur - Divan du Monde - 75, rue des Martyrs, 75018 Paris
- From the Hotel Jardin Le Bréa, take metro line 12 to Notre-Dame-des-Champs (5-minute walk), direction Mairie d'Aubervilliers, and get off at Pigalle station. Madame Arthur is about a 2-minute walk from there.
The total travel time from our hotel is 25 minutes.
Practical Information
The Bel Canto
Bel Canto offers a unique dinner show combining French gastronomy and opera!
A quartet of classically trained singing waiters and a pianist will accompany you throughout your meal, performing the most famous opera arias, from Mozart and Vivaldi to Puccini, Verdi, Bizet, Offenbach, and more.
A treat for opera lovers!
How to get to the Bel Canto from the Hotel Jardin Le Brea?
The Bel Canto - 72 quai de l'Hôtel de Ville, 75004 Paris
- From the Hotel Jardin Le Bréa, take metro line 4 to Vavin station (1-minute walk), direction Porte de Clignancourt, get off at Cité station. The Bel Canto is about a 10-minute walk from there.
The total travel time from our hotel is 22 minutes.
Practical Information
Lou Diprey
Lou Diprey modernizes the cabaret experience, offering an immersive dinner with singers, dancers, and drag queens, blending pop culture and French bistro cuisine in an intimate speakeasy atmosphere.
An original dinner show not to be missed!
How to get to Lou Diprey from the Hotel Jardin Le Brea?
Lou Diprey - 77, rue du Faubourg du Temple, 75010 Paris
- From the Hotel Jardin Le Bréa, take metro line 4 from Vavin (1-minute walk), towards Porte de Clignancourt, get off at Châtelet station, then take line 10 towards Rosny Bois-Perrier, get off at Goncourt (Hôpital Saint-Louis).
The total travel time from our hotel is 30 minutes.
Practical Information
