Click below to see and hear the French translation of these words and phrases.
- Goodbye
- We’d like one double bed please, not two single beds.
- Is this a lesbian bar?
- I’m a vegetarian.
- Thank you
Paris, France
Other Fun Stuff
Association Cour et Jardin
LGBT theatre troupe that presents four plays a year. Participation is pretty much equally divided, half men, half women. Their website is also quite amazing (in content, not look) as they have a schedule up that shows all of the homo inspired theatre pieces playing elsewhere in Paris.
Au Bonheur du Jour Art Gallery
In reality this is a private gallery where you can actually buy the works presented, but very few of us actually have the cash to pay these prices. This woman-owned gallery merits your visit though because of their 19th-20th century vintage photography collection of erotica, including lesbian works. Yup, lesbian-themed photos from the 19th century! They've also got a small permanent exhibit of historic erotic arts artefacts.
11, rue Chabanais
Paris
Bump'n Grind Honeys
American style, indie kitsch burlesque has made its way to Paris with this recently formed troupe, starring the likes of Double Dice Daisy and Miss Glitter Painkiller. Check their website for upcoming shows.
Centre Audiovisuel Simone de Beauvoir
Named for the illustrious, pro-queer feminist Simone de Beauvoir, the centre collects audiovisual documentation about the fight for women’s rights and equality.
28, place Saint-Georges
Paris
www.centre-simone-de-beauvoir.com
Fem Menace
In one sense, this could have gone in social groups as it's a loose coalition, a "fem-ale art-ivist group and a social network of hot, tough, happy and fabulous queer fem-mes", but at the same time, they host all kinds of cool parties and other fun stuff, so I decided to put them here. Check out their Myspace page for upcoming events.
Hammam Pacha
Body scrubs, massages, saunas, relaxing on warm marble beds…. Ahhh, the life of a hammam. This Middle-Eastern style spa is a great idea if you’re in need of some rest from the busy Paris streets. A friend and I spent five hours at this women-only hammam, partially because we both fell asleep and then we stayed for dinner...where else can you be served a delicious couscous while relaxing in a terrycloth robe! If you aren’t comfortable naked in front of strangers, you may feel a little weirded out though.
147, rue Gabriel-Péri
Saint-Denis
Le Cabaret des filles de joie
Electro-cabaret burlesque show that takes the best of Paris’ traditional burlesque scene and updates it for a most contemporary crowd. Le Cabaret usually has at least one show a week.
Le Crazy Horse
Paris is renowned for its burlesque cabaret shows, and out of all of the Parisian cabarets, this is by far my favorite. Calling their shows “the artistry of the nude” the Crazy Horse goes for a more subtle presentation of burlesque. With only 12 dancers who are all ballet trained, each vignette is impeccably choreographed with simple costumes, great music and an extraordinary light show. At the end of 2006, burlesque hottie Dita Von Teese did a week-long sold-out show here that the ladies are still talking about! If you can't make it to Paris, there's a second show in Vegas that's also pretty hot!
12, avenue George V
Paris
Le Lido
Another cabaret, the Lido has been around for more than sixty years, and has presented 26 revues in that time. Right now they are showing Bonheur! aka “happiness”. The show is coordinated around four tableaux, Paris, women, India and cinema. I know they don’t really make much sense together, but in the end it’s all about show stopping costumes (including some with headdresses up to five feet high!) and excellent choreography.
116 bis, avenue de Champs-Elysees
Paris
Le Moulin Rouge
Before there was that hit movie starring Nicole Kidman, there was the real Moulin Rouge, a world-famous Parisian cabaret that opened its doors in 1889. Immortalized by painter Toulouse Lautrec, it’s thanks to Moulin Rouge that the words “cancan” became part of our common language. Their latest show, Féerie, uses sixty dancers wearing more than 1000 feathered and sequined costumes that most drag queens would die for.
82, boulevard de Clichy
Paris
Les Gais Musette
A true mix of gays and lesbians, les gais musette is a same-sex ballroom dancing club. Offering weekly courses, weekend parties, regular t-dances and trips to LGBT dancing competitions, the musette is open to all. About 1000 people attend their annual costume ball, “Interlope Carnaval”, held every February or March. To boot, their site is available in English!
Les Gamme-elles (haut et fort)
Lesbian choir that performs regularly in Paris and around France. If you just can’t wait to see them in a show, they also invite all interested gals to come check out a rehearsal session.
Lesbian Archives (Archives Recherches Cultures Lesbiennes)
Housed in the women’s centre, la Maison des Femmes, the Lesbian Archives opened in 1983 with the aim to preserve as much lesbian history as possible. Open on Thursday nights from 7-9:30 p.m., the Archives has both a lending library and a visitor’s centre.
c/o Maison des Femmes
163, rue de Charenton
75012 Paris
http://arcl.free.fr
Madison Street
Vive la republique in cowboy hats and leather chaps, country line dancing has made its way to Paris! With classes and dances most Friday and Saturday nights, newbies and visitors are always welcome. As their events take place in three different locales, check the (French) website for more info re: dates/times/places.
Musée de l' Erotisme
Everything you wanted to know about sex, and then some. Even though the majority of this erotic museum is based in heterosexuality, the role women play in this is already interesting. One of the seven floors is dedicated to the history of sex workers. Unbelievable opening hours: 10 a.m. – 2 a.m., seven days a week!
72, boulevard de Clichy
Paris
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Don't be turned off by the tacky sex kitch in the basement and first floor...walk upstairs and you will be happy. You will find tons and tons of old black and white erotic photography of women. I nearly died and went to heaven. You can also sit down and watch some old black & white silent porn (there was one lesbian film being shown). . I was really pleasantly surprised with this museum.
Grace on Apr 11, 2008
Pari Roller
While not exclusively an LGBT event, this weekly rollerblade tour through the city always attracts a huge homo contingent. Every Friday night, more than 10,000 people show up with their rollerblades at Place Raoul Dautry in the 14th arrondissement. At 10:00 p.m., you’re off, for a 30 km tour of Paris. The distance pretty much remains the same, but the route changes every week. Even if you don’t travel with your blades and protection, there are places that can rent them to you for the evening.
16, boulevard Saint-Germain
Paris
www.pari-roller.com
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This is a very exciting thing to take part in - but, if you're not used to skating in a huge crowd and you haven't roller bladed much - you're better off to go for their less intense outing on Sundays (where even families with kids go).
Carrie on Oct 02, 2007
Paris Gai Village walking tours
A group of about 15 gay and lesbian history buffs organize monthly LGBT walking tours of Paris, with a different topic each time. From a history of the Marais to Left Bank lesbians of the early 20th century to queer Montparnasse. Most of the talks are in French, but fun even if you can’t understand everything. Paris Gai Village also holds two meet-ups every Saturday, one at the gay and lesbian centre, the other at the Blue Book store, offering up info for LGBT tourists to Paris. Website available in English!
Rainbow Symphony Orchestra
LGBT symphony orchestra made up of professional and highly talented amateurs. Music lovers can enjoy their regular concerts. Check website for details.
Tango: Boîte à Frissons
Same-sex dancing every Friday and Saturday night. Starting at about 10:30 p.m. it's waltzing, ballroom and other social dances. After midnight it's dancing of all kinds, but sticking to older, popular music as compared to house and techno. On the last Sunday of the month they also hold a lesbian t-dance from 6-11 p.m.
13, rue au Maire
Paris
www.boite-a-frissons.fr
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