Au Lapin Agile: An unforgettable evening of chansons in Paris

Where Francophiles stand, true Frenchmen do not stand.

This brilliant sentence was told to me by my good friend, who prefers to remain anonymous (and therefore we will call him the Anonymous Francophile), while we were standing in line to enter a cabaret or a Pan Agile – and I hastened to adopt this brilliant sentence. There is no doubt that true Francophiles love France and its culture, sometimes even more than the French themselves, and there is no place where you can distinguish the “heavy Francophiles” from ordinary tourists or just “Paris lovers” than this cabaret.

Only true Francophiles can sit on a hard wooden bench for more than 4 hours, listen to a marathon of chansons, some of which come to us straight from the 19th century, and savor every moment. I have visited the place numerous times and almost every time I visit Paris I look for an excuse to go back there with friends.

The reason for this is that it is a total experience consisting of historical heritage, excellent singing (each of the singers is a professional in his field) and a great cherry liqueur, which warms the soul and helps you get into the atmosphere. In the following video you will see a small sample of what awaits you there (the person appearing there is Yves Mathieu, the director of the cabaret himself):

In this article, we will return to the Montmartre of the Belle Époque and learn the story of the cabaret, its incarnations, and the important people who stayed there. But before we begin, let me provide you with some practical information about the place, for the benefit of those who came to the article about visiting there.

Or Le Pen Agile – Visitor Information

How do I get to Le Lapin Agile?

The cabaret's address is 22 Rue des Saules and it is located inMontmartre DistrictThe best way to get there is to take metro line 12 and get off at Lamarck–Caulaincourt station and walk from there. However, be aware that there are quite a few steps and inclines, so it may not be suitable for everyone.

If you have difficulty walking, you can get there by taxi or Uber. Another option is to get there by bus number 40, which stops not far away.

A final option is to take metro line 2 to Anvers station, walk from there to Place Louise Michel, take the funicular to the Sacré-Cère church, and from there walk to the cabaret. This is the longest route, but it involves mostly downhill walking, so it is suitable for people who have difficulty with strenuous walking.

Cabaret operating hours

Or Le Pen Agile operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 21pm and 00am. If you arrive later than 01pm or wish to leave early, there is no problem, as every half hour, plus or minus, there are “exit points” where you can leave and the host lets in new guests (don’t worry, no one will be offended if you leave early, as everyone is aware that very few people are able to stay until the very end).

How much does a ticket cost and where can I order it?

The ticket price (as of February 2024) is 35 euros and it also includes a glass of cherry liqueur (which I personally really like). Tickets can be ordered on site or On their official websiteIf you are coming during the tourist season, it is highly recommended to book in advance, otherwise you may find that there is no space (it is a small and intimate hall). On the other hand, if you come midweek and not during the tourist season, you can usually buy tickets on the spot without any problem.

Does the place serve food?

Unfortunately, the days when you could eat Coq au vin or Beef Bourguignon here are gone, and now they only serve drinks. So, you are very welcome to have dinner before you come there. If you are looking for recommendations for good restaurants, you can find them atParis restaurants page.

From the Murder Cabaret to the Nimble Rabbit – the story of O Lepan Agile

The story of this cabaret begins in the year Montmartre became part of Paris, namely 1860. In a small hut, built in the late 18th century and located near the top, it opened to cabaret With a special name: Cabaret of the Assassins (Le Cabaret des Assasins).

No, it wasn't a meeting place for murderers who came to drink cherry liqueur and sing chansons (or just stab the pianist). The place was named after the pictures of famous murderers from history. France And posters of wanted criminals, which adorned its walls.

In 1880, the owner of the place asked the painter and cartoonist André Gill to draw him an advertising sign to hang on the front of the building, and since the place served roast rabbit, the cartoonist decided to draw a rabbit leaping out of a frying pan while holding a bottle of wine.

The sign was so successful that the residents of the area began to call the cabaret “The Lapin à Gill,” which later evolved into “The Agile Rabbit” (Le Lapin Agile) and became its official name.

While the sign is with us to this day, André Gilles' fate was less kind. That same year, she fell seriously ill and was admitted to the mental hospital in Charenton, where the Marquis de Sade and the great French composer François Devienne (1759-1803) had also been hospitalized. He died there alone about five years later and was buried in the cemetery. Pere Lachaise.

Freda, Lulu and Picasso

Over the years, the place passed through several owners, and in 1903, the legendary owner of Le Pen Agile, Frédéric Gérard (1860-1932), who had previously worked as a fishmonger, bought the place. Frédéric had a donkey named Lolo, with which he would bring the fish, and he would become, unwittingly, part of one of the funniest stories in the art world.

Before we tell you this story, it is important to note that during this period the cabaret became home to quite a few artists, most notably Pablo Picasso, who was attracted to the place thanks to the excellent (and cheap) food of Mr. Gerard's wife and the company of artists who used to sit there.

In 1905, Picasso agreed to paint for the place in exchange for free food and drink, and this is how one of his most famous paintings was created – Au Lapin Agile. Unfortunately, I cannot display it here due to copyright issues, but you are welcome to view it via theLink this.

In the picture you will see 3 figures. The first is Picasso dressed in a Harlequin costume (a character from the Commedia del Arte). Next to him is a woman named Germaine Pichot (1880-1948), the love interest of Picasso's friend Carlos Casagemas (1880-1901). Unfortunately for Casagemas, Germaine did not return his love, and as a result, he shot her and committed suicide. Germaine survived the assassination attempt and even became Picasso's mistress.

The last figure in the picture, the one holding a guitar, is the figure of Frodo, who loved to play and sing in front of guests, just like the current owners of the place.

A few years after Picasso painted his famous painting, he painted an even more famous painting, “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,” which created a new artistic movement – ​​Cubism. The increasingly abstract direction that art was taking in these years did not please two of the local residents – the writer André Warnod (1885-1960) and the journalist Roland Dorgelès (1885-1973).

The two, who saw the absurdity of abstract art, decided in 1911 to “stretch” the directors of the art salon of ParisThey took Lulu, the donkey, from Mulada, tied a paintbrush to its tail, and let it spin around, so that the paintbrush would drag across the canvas.

What was created was displayed by Verno and Durgeles in the living room as a work by an Italian painter, named Joachim Raphael Boronelli, who never existed and was never created. The work was called “The Sun Sets Below the Adriatic Sea” and to everyone’s surprise it was sold to an art collector for around 400 francs (a significant sum these days). The two philanderers reinvested this money in an excellent meal at Pan Agile accompanied by alcohol that was poured over like water that evening…

We won't stop singing.

In 1913, at the height of its success, the place was bought by Aristide Bruant (1851-1925), known to us from Toulouse-Lautrec's famous poster and the cabaret "Le Chat Noir". However, a year later, World War I broke out and a large part of the people who came to the place were drafted into the army. Some would never return...

After the end of World War I, Bohemia moved to Montparnasse, and Le Pen Agil ceases to be the place where painters and writers meet. Aristide Bruin decides to sell the place in 1922 to Paolo, the son of Frédéric Gerard, the mythical owner of the place.

Paulo owned the place for about 50 years, during which time it transformed Le Pan Agile into a famous cabaret, where some of Paris' greatest chansonniers began their careers, including Georges Bressanone. One of the most famous artists of the place, after World War II, was Claude Nougaro (1929-2004), a poet and singer, who sang quite a few songs there, such as this one.

In 1971, the place was sold to Yves Mathieu, who married Paulo’s daughter and runs the place to this day. It is a family business, where Yves is not only responsible for the management but also sings wine songs (like the original version of the song “When We Die They Will Bury Us in the Rishon LeZion Wineries”). His son also sings, and in the past he also served as a waiter, and Yves Mathieu’s wife also sang there until she died of cancer a few years ago.

The place has a pool of singers, several of whom sing alongside Yves Mathias and his son every evening. At the beginning of the evening, everyone sings together, and you are invited to join in a kind of communal singing that takes place there. However, after about an hour, the solo singing part begins, in which each artist gives a performance of about half an hour, singing songs in which he specializes.

Since not all artists perform every night, even if you get to Lapane Ajil, you can always go back there, as you will most likely hear different singers each time. The song repertoire is very diverse, starting with songs that originated in the 19th century and ending with some classics, such as “Champs Elysees"Jo Daesan's," which was probably added for the tourists.

And I haven't even mentioned the pianist, who also changes from time to time. He's quite the virtuoso, who not only accompanies the singers, but also gives solo pieces and sometimes plays another instrument or two. There's no doubt that for Francophiles who love chanson, this is a real paradise, but even if you're not crazy about chanson, I recommend you come there for a one-time experience, to get an authentic and historical experience straight into your veins, one that hasn't changed in nearly a century.

Looking for more information about Montmartre?

If you've already arrived at Au Pen Agile, shouldn't you also take a walk around and discover other interesting places in Montmartre? It is precisely to help you with this task that I created this page. Montmartre District In it you will find a series of articles about interesting places, the history of Montmartre, recommendations and much more.