In Belle Époque Paris, there were three themed cabarets on the Boulevard du Clichy. There was the cabaret du Néant with its macabre atmosphere, the cabaret du Ciel and the cabaret de l'Enfer. The latter was certainly the one that attracted the most curious onlookers and left its mark on the spirit of Paris's 18th arrondissement.
In 1892, a certain Antonin Alexander opened his cabaret de l'Enfer on Boulevard du Clichy, at N°34 to be exact. Three years later, the link moved to N°53 on the same boulevard, where it remained for several decades.
Twinned with the cabaret du Ciel, also opened by Antonin Alexander and nicknamed the cabaret du Paradis, the cabaret de l'Enfer left no one indifferent. It had to be said that the address knew how to attract all eyes. First of all, there was the impressive door in the shape of an open demon's mouth. Once inside, customers were plunged into a sort of grotto, with sculptures of the damned hanging from the walls and vault, and a giant cauldron. To complete the illusion, the master of the house took the controls dressed as a little devil. Shows were also on the menu, including " diabolical attractions " and the " torture of the damned ", as attested by documents available on the Internet.
During the Belle Époque, a number of Surrealist artists, including André Breton, visited the Cabaret de l'Enfer. His studio was located on the fourth floor of the building, just above the cabaret.
Although the cabaret de l'Enfer undeniably set the pace for Belle Époque nightlife in Paris, the venue unfortunately faced financial difficulties after the Liberation of Paris. In 1950, the cabaret de l'Enfer and the cabaret du Ciel were bought by Monoprix, located next door. Wishing to expand, Monoprix decided to demolish the walls of these two addresses, putting an end to the history of these two legendary Parisian cabarets.
Although there is no trace of the cabaret de l'Enfer in the 18th arrondissement, Monoprix still occupies the entire length of the first floor of the former cabaret, between number 51 boulevard de Clichy and the corner with rue Pierre-Fontaine.
For the more inquisitive, you should know that images of the cabaret were immortalized by Eugène Atget. These photos are available in Gallica, the famous digital library of BnF and its partners.
In addition, the Centre Pompidou is devoting an exhibition to Surrealism from September 4, 2024 to January 13, 2025. The exhibition includes a reconstruction of the famous "gateway to hell"!
