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Pigalle

Located at the foot of Sacre Coeur on Monmartre Knoll and straddling the 9^th and 18^th Arrondissement, Pigalle is the infamous red light district and the former bohemian heart of Paris. The center of the neighborhood is Place Pigalle, a square named for the famous French sculptor, Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. It was in the square that Pigalle rented his studio space, along with many other famous bohemian artists. Toulouse-Lautrec, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent Van Gogh also once called the neighborhood home, and it is where they created some of the most significant works of art of the 19^th and 20^th century.

Well known for its free-wheeling culture of sex, drugs, and art, the area was nicknamed “Pig Alley” by the Allied soldiers who were stationed in France during WWII and spent ample time with the prostitutes of Pigalle’s back alleys. Nowadays, Pigalle is considered one of the more popular tourist districts in France, luring in curious travelers looking for a glimpse into Paris’ nightlife.

Pigalle in Popular Culture

Before it was a tourist sight, Pigalle was admired by famous Parisians who referenced the vibrant neighborhood liberally in their work. 20^th century French songbird Edith Piaf wrote an album entitled “La Rue Pigalle.” Tragic and much beloved by the French and Francophiles all over the world, you can visit her grave in Paris’ famous Pere Lachaise Cemetary. Decades later, American jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux wrote a song entitled “Our Lady of Pigalle.”

Major Sights Near Pigalle

Depending on your tastes, a trip to Pigalle can be was tame or as wild as you want it to be. Place Pigalle is overrun with sex shops, so you won’t have to venture far from the metro exit if that’s what you’re after. On Boulevard de Clichy, you can visit the Erotic museum, containing artifacts from all over the world, contemporary erotic art, as well as an entire floor devoted to the history of the legal Parisian brothels of the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Similarly named but a different street altogether, Rue de Clichy is home to the world-famous Bal du Moulin Rouge Cabaret. Still operating in full swing, don’t miss a chance to see a show if you’re in the neighborhood and feeling curious.

But if you’re hoping to avoid the raunch altogether, just follow the signs from the Pigalle metro stop and head straight up the hill to the Sacre Coeur on Montmartre Knoll, the shining, white stone basilica that has been starting down on Pigalle’s vulgarities for over a century.

Nightlife in Pigalle

The biggest draw to the nightlife seeking crowd is by far Le Divan du Monde. Now a converted concert space used for shows and club nights, it was once one of Pigalle’s most popular cabarets, frequented by neighborhood artists like Lautrec and Picasso. It was the first in Paris to feature a naked woman onstage, which scandalized even the most liberal 19^th century patrons.

Today it is an ultra trendy concert space in the heart of Pigalle that brings in performances of all kinds, with a penchant for world music. Pop music concerts is also highly represented, as are the infamous club nights that bring in DJ’s from all over the world and the kind of crowd that doesn’t stop until the sun comes up.

Getting to Pigalle

If you’re headed straight for the Sacre Coeur, Montmartre, the Erotic Museum, or Le Divan du Monde, take line 12 to the easy to remember Pigalle stop. If you’re on your way to the Moulin Rouge, however, taking line 2 to Place to Clichy or line 13 to Liege will leave you better poised to enjoy an evening of Cabaret.

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