lemiSay bonjour to the finer things in life. France is set to romance you with remarkable architecture, art, and fine dining
Lights, Curtain, Cabaret!
Paris
Step right up for a “Spectacular, Spectacular!” featuring Paris’s most dazzling talents! Cabaret channels the best of music, dance, and theatrics. For an hour and a half, the night is like a dream brought to life and a spell is cast. Flashy set pieces create a glamorous world populated by scantily clad women and hunky men; their risqué dance routines bring the show to a crescendo. That means it’s time to call the sitter—sorry, kids! Adults only. The magic of cabaret is best captured by the classic musical of the same name: “Leave your troubles outside. So, life is disappointing? Forget it! We have no troubles here! Here, life is beautiful.”
In cabaret, anything goes! Acrobatics, nudity, banana skirts… venues like the Folies Bergère have seen almost everything. The venue opened in 1869 and has brought in a lot of legendary moments. Start and end your night with drinks at the bar, while you bask in the glow of a venue marked by history’s fingerprints. The Folies Bergère have mounted everything from operettas to vaudeville. Nowadays, you’re just as likely to catch a classic act as an innovative show. For example, Jean-Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show will take place here from September 2018 to April 2019. Any fashionista will tell you it will be more than your average catwalk. Given the musical hall’s epic background, who knows what it has cooking backstage? Book your tickets, dress to the nines, and sashay away!
- +33 1 44 79 98 60
32 Rue Richer, Paris, France
- https://www.foliesbergere.com/
For a full-blown cabaret experience, the Moulin Rouge is the place to go every night. The red mill has been a beacon to the bohemian Montmartre crowd since 1899. Aristocrats and artists alike gathered; everyone ate and made merry—feel free to do the exact same! They uphold a pretty strict dress code here, so skip the shorts, sportswear, and sneakers. Prepare to rub elbows, since the dining room is also packed tight. The Moulin Rouge wows dinner guests with a musical revue, “Féerie.” 60 beautiful dancers don their tallest feather headdresses; their sequins and rhinestones glint whenever they hit the light. Don’t be shy and just dance along, the music really gets you going! Fun fact: it is said that the popular Cancan rose to fame right here as well!
- +33 1 53 09 82 82
82 Boulevard De Clichy, Paris, France
- https://www.moulinrouge.fr/
The Bluebell Girls at Le Lido are considered to be the top-tier of burlesque dancers. They mesmerize the audience with legs that go on forever as they kick up a dance storm. Cabaret is all about variety, so they’ve invited an impressive troupe of performers to join The Bluebell Girls. The dreamy Lido Boys keep up to step with the gorgeous gals on-stage, while duos like You and Me, and S. Bachelet and M. Combès up the ante with impressive stunts. More wild cards await—Le Lido is a treat for the senses! We guarantee that what they serve on the plate matches the grandeur of what’s on-stage.
- +33 1 40 76 56 10
116 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris, France
- https://www.lido.fr/en
The racy ladies at Le Crazy Horse take cabaret’s sensual delights to the next level. They tastefully make use of lights, tape, and props as they bare it all on stage. Icons like Dita Von Teese and Pamela Anderson have also made guest appearances in the past. On any given night, you might be sharing the hall with an A-List celebrity. Either way, there’s an overwhelming amount of eye-candy to feast your eyes on!
- +33 1 47 23 32 32
12 Avenue George V, Paris, France
- https://www.lecrazyhorseparis.com/en/
Sensual delights await at Secret Square. They’ve crafted their strip-tease and aphrodesiac menu, so prepare to get lost in the swaying hips, soothing music, and sumptuous dishes. Dancers easily pull off a balance between sexy and sophisticated, and they leave it all on-stage. Their performances are sensuous yet emotional, sweeping the audience completely. Secret Square is far from the seedy nightclubs and rowdy with men. It is cut from a more refined cloth, suitable for a luxurious Friday night or a fancy Bachelor Party.
- +33 1 47 66 45 00
27 Avenue des Ternes, Paris, France
- https://secretsquare.fr/en/
Celebrate all Parisian life has to offer at La Nouvelle Eve. Their “Paris, Je T’aime” musical revue traces the history of the city using charming dance and music. There’s a bit of Edith Piaf and audience interaction, but most of all, there is Cancan! The French Cancan is a highlight of each night, as the spirited ladies swish their ruffled skirts. La Nouvelle Eve comes as a total steal compared to the sky-high prices of places like Moulin Rouge. The venue is just as beautiful and the ladies are just as gorgeous. Enjoy the legacy of the Montmartre neighborhood while being kind to your budget!
- +33 1 48 74 69 25
25 Rue Pierre Fontaine, Paris, France
- http://www.lanouvelleeveparis.com/en/
At Paradis Latin, opt for champagne and macarons instead of a hefty dinner while watching the cabaret! Each sip and nibble here feels truly Parisian chic, and the best part is that it offers a slightly lower price point compared to the first four spots we’ve recommended. Use those ticket savings on a French Cancan Workshop! You’ll be dolled up in ruffled skirts and taught the secrets of the well-loved kick.
- +33 1 43 25 28 28
28 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, Paris, France
- https://www.paradislatin.com/
The pink house at the top of a Montmartre street corner looks far from the flashy cabarets we’ve come to know. However, Au Lapin Agile is as classic as it gets. Not much has changed since artists like Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, and Maurice Utrillo hung out here. You’ll even find their sketches and paintings on the walls of this worn little cottage. Raise a glass to a night of singing, laughter, and poetry! A lot of it is in French, so you’ll really be among locals. Au Lapin Agile is where you go for an intimate night amongst newfound friends. Local songs serenade you, the good times keep on rolling, and before you know it, the night has passed.
- +33 1 46 06 85 87
22 Rue des Saules, Paris, France
- https://au-lapin-agile.com/
Aux Trois Mailletz recalls the cabarets of old, where it is less about the glitz and more about raw energy. Upstairs, a relaxed piano bar invites an eclectic bill of performers to play. Underground, a medieval vault hosts Aux Trois Mailletz’s cabaret. It gets pretty steamy on most nights as dancers find their way onto the tabletops. It has happened in the past, and the crowd even joins in! Drinks are pricey, but you may choose to pay the cover charge and spend the entire evening here. From the outside, the joint is unsuspecting. Get close enough and you’ll hear the festivities echoing from the ground.
- +33 1 43 54 00 79
56 Rue Galande, Paris, France
- https://www.auxtroismailletz.com/
In this special case, you may bring the kids along to Le Zèbre de Belleville! They consider themselves a circus cabaret, which means that their acts are much more wholesome. Here, they feature magic, acrobatics (sometimes even contortion), and puppetry! Trapeze artists fly among the bannisters, while aerial acrobats dance overhead. The venue is intimate and rustic, so audience members are usually pulled on-stage for tricks. Year-round, this circus is always in town for a fun run!
- +33 1 43 55 55 55
63 Boulevard de Belleville, Paris, France
- http://www.lezebre.com/
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