Unfortunately, the Mishto closed in July 2024 and they are now looking for a receiver to try to sell the club to someone who would be interested in continuing to update it. I am leaving the article here in case this happens and the club reopens.
When planning a trip to Paris and want to go to a show, the first thing you think about is theMoulin RougeIf you're a more advanced Francophile, chances are you've heard of Freddy Latan או Crazy HorseAnd if you are an “addicted” Francophile like me, you might go to the Cabaret of At the Agile Rabbit, in order to hear 4 consecutive hours of chansons. But how many of you have heard of Sha Mishu?
Somehow, this club has managed to stay under the radar of most Israelis, even though it has long since become a legend among Parisians. I don't know if this is because it specializes in drag shows, or maybe the fact that Montmartre has the Moulin Rouge that steals the show, but the fact remains: since my website has existed, no one has ever bought a ticket to this club through me.
Since I'm always looking for new things to do in Paris, I decided in April 2024 to spend one evening at a club with my parents and what a surprise awaited them :-).
But before I start telling you about our experience and providing you with all the practical information (tickets, hours, location, etc.), let me tell you a little about that legendary man who became the king of nightlife in Paris And that he gave his name to the club we're going to talk about.
Michaux – The Blue Prince of Paris
Our story begins in 1931, when a boy was born in the city of Amiens who would be named Michel Georges Alfred Catty. Little Michel, who was nicknamed “Micho”, had a slightly strange hobby: he loved to wear his grandmother’s dresses (a slightly strange hobby, but as you will read in the articles about Philippe of Orléans וFather de Choisy(Not that uncommon.) Michaux was not ashamed of his tendency to wear women's clothing, and even as a child he starred in drag shows, which he performed in a small shack near his home, for the enjoyment of his friends.
In 1954, Michèle moved to Paris and settled inMontmartre District, a place where he lived a bohemian life throughout his life. In 1956, Michou decided to buy a bar called Chez Madame Untel, and turned it into a bar-restaurant called Chez Michou. In the first years of the place, it functioned as a discotheque and from time to time, starting in the early 60s, Michou and some of his friends performed drag shows at their discotheque.
The big change came about thanks to the famous actress and singer Line Renaud, who returned from Las Vegas and told Michaux about a comedy show by a couple of men who do drag shows, in which they imitate famous women. Michaux liked the idea and he decided, together with his friends, to put on a show in which he imitated some of the most famous singers of his time, such as Brigitte Bardot. This is the basis for the show that you will see, if you visit there.
His big break came in 1973, when Michaud starred as himself in Claude Lelouch’s film “The Good Year” (La Bonne Année). Although he didn’t receive a single franc for his performance, the publicity he received from the film was well worth the effort. Here is a short clip from the film in which the hero visits the “Che Michaud” club, and hears singer Mireille Mathieu singing along with her male “double”:
Years passed and Michaud became an integral part of Parisian nightlife. He was nicknamed “The Blue Prince” because of the blue suit he wore every night. The blue attire became so synonymous with Michaud that he refused to wear any other color until… In 2005, Michaud received the Legion of Honor from President Jacques Chirac and said that this medal was the only thing he was willing to put on his blue jacket.
Michaud managed to miss the coronavirus by a few months and died at the age of 88, on January 21, 2020. As befits a man who spent most of his life in Montmartre, the funeral ceremony was held at the Church of Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre, on the Place des Essèves, and he himself was buried inMontmartre Cemetery.
Since Michaux was the manager and symbol of the club, it was only natural that “Che Michaux” would close after his death. Add to this the fact that shortly after his death, the coronavirus broke out in the lives of Parisians and all the cabarets were closed anyway, so at that time it seemed that “Che Michaux” would never open its doors again.
Fortunately, however, the story of “Che Michaud” did not end, and Michaud’s niece, Catherine Jacquart, decided to reopen the club on September 3, 2021. Catherine maintained the club’s original atmosphere, but updated the artistic program slightly, so that it would also include imitations not only of French singers but also of famous American singers.
And so, in late April 2024, I arrived at the mythical address Rue des Martyres 80 with my parents, who didn't really know where they were entering. The door opened and we entered the world of Sha Mishu...
My visit to Che Mishu
The first thing you notice in the club's bar are the many pictures in which Misha appears alongside the who's who of the world of culture and art. France.
After you give us your coat, you will be taken into the small, intimate hall of the club and seated at one of the tables. The waiters, whose gender is questionable, will bring you the menu. We chose the artichoke heart and quail egg salad, a piece of beef in a wine sauce accompanied by sautéed vegetables, and a red fruit cake for dessert.
Like any meal served in cabarets, the food was “correct”: fresh, tasty, but not the kind that would earn the place a Michelin star. The only exception was the cake, whose sweet and sour taste I liked.
As you know, people don't go to places like this for the food, and those who don't want to order a meal + show can order a show accompanied by a glass of champagne (I'll give you all the details about ordering tickets in a few moments). It's important to note that those who don't order a meal get a seat relatively far from the stage, but that's not so bad since the hall isn't particularly large.
After everyone had finished eating, Sha Mishu’s niece came on stage, said a few words of thanks, and the show began. One by one, the various artists appeared, some accompanied by playback sounds (i.e., a “dry orchestra”), but some sang themselves.
Sylvie Worthen passed by, Edith Piaf, Carmen (from the famous opera) and even Disney's Snow White. I was particularly impressed by a drag artist who did a simply perfect imitation of Fanny Arden, one of my favorite actresses.
The audience, which was entirely French, was simply ecstatic. They engaged in dialogue with the artists, sang along with them, and of course applauded enthusiastically. Fortunately, my parents, who I didn't exactly know how they would react to such a performance, also really enjoyed the special atmosphere and the songs (even though they don't speak French).
Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to film the show, but I found a video on YouTube that shows a few selected clips from it, so you can get an idea of what to expect:
The show lasted about an hour and a half and ended, I think, around 23:00 p.m. I'm the kind of person who's usually deep in bed by this time, but from the number of people I saw outside, it seemed like the evening in Montmartre was just beginning.
Visit to the Sha Mishu Club
If you liked what you've read so far and you want to spend time at "Che Michaux", here is all the information you need to spend time at one of the most French cabarets in Paris.
What tickets are there and where do you buy them?
Broadly speaking, there are two types of cards:
- Show + glass of champagne (as of April 2024 the price is 85.5 euros per person).
- Show + dinner (as of April 2024, its price is 135 euros per person).
Both tickets can be purchased via This link.
How do you get to the “Shah Mishu” club?
The Michaux is located at Rue des Martyres 80. The most convenient way to get there, in my opinion, is by metro. All you have to do is take line 2 or line 12 and get off at Pigalle metro station. From there, you can reach the cabaret in a few minutes on foot.
Please note: Despite the bad reputation that Pigalle has received, the entire area has undergone gentrification in recent years and is no longer the place to go to drink cheap alcohol and spend the night with someone in a hotel that charges by the hour. So, rest assured, the area is completely safe.
