Pigalle Cabarets

From Paris Hotels Reviews

Pigalle Cabarets

For many foreigners, entertainment in Paris is still synonymous with cabaret, especially that mythical name, Pigalle’s Moulin Rouge, at 82 boulevard de Clichy (01. 53. 09. 82. 82, www.moulinrouge.fr). Unlike the Folies Bergére further south at 32 rue Richer (08. 92. 68. 16. 50, ⓦwww.foliesbergere.com), which has gone for a relatively mixed programmed of musicians, belly-dancers and circus acts, the Moulin Rouge still trades on its traditional, bare-breasted, can-canning “Doriss Girls”, although the accompanying sound-and-light show is very flashy these days. The evening is a very expensive one at around €90 or, €150 with dinner, but the show is as glitzy as you’d expect, full of special effects and nodding feathers. For similar alternatives, try the Lido (116bis av des Champs-Elysées, 8ᵉ, ⊕ 01. 40. 76. 56. 10, www.lido.fr), best known for its “Bluebell Girls” and high-excitement, high-tech, Vegas-style shows; of the Crazy Horse (12 av George V, 8 01. 47. 23. 32. 32, www.lecrazyhorseparis.com), where the performances are relatively arty and theatrical – and totally nude.

Audiences are mainly made up of package tourists whose deal includes a ticket. To get away from the crowds, as long as you don’t mind roughing it, you could visit one of the pair of tiny transvestite cabarets on rue des Martyrs, just up from Pigalle métro. At its best, Chez Michou, at no. 80 (⊕ 01. 46. 06. 10. 04, ⓦ www.michou.fr; show-only €35), is like a scene from an Almodôvar film, with transvestites masquerading as various female celebrities, singing classic songs and teasing the audience, but you’ll need to know French pop culture very well to get much out of it. The similar Chez Madame Arthur, at 75bis (01. 42. 54. 40. 21; €47 – 91 with dinner), has a historic pedigree, but you’re obliged to have a poor-value dinner beforehand. Both can be outrageously camp good fun, or rather desperate on a quiet night, and your bill is likely to be much larger than you might expect.