1800s-1900s Cabaret L'Enfer, Paris
The Cabaret L'Enfer (Hell) was in Montmartre on the Boulevard de Clichy, a stone's throw from the Moulin Rouge. It was one of the world's first "theme" clubs, albeit a Satanic theme. Photo by Atget.
Another photo of the exterior facade of L'Enfer.
You entered L'Enfer through Satan's mouth.
The interior of L'Enfer
Another photo of the interior of L'Enfer showing one of the "Red Imp" servers.
Menu from L'Enfer
1950s. The original wooden doors replaced with a steel pull-up door. The club was removed in 1952. This photo is by Robert Doisneau.
William Chambers Morrow and Édouard Cucuel, authors of the 1899 book Bohemian Paris of To-Day, described the scene at L’Enfer thusly:
“Enter and be damned, the Evil One awaits you!” growled a chorus of rough voices as we hesitated before the scene confronting us. Near us was suspended a caldron over a fire, and hopping within it were half a dozen devil musicians, male and female, playing a selection from “Faust” on stringed instruments, while red imps stood by, prodding with red-hot irons those who lagged in their performance.
Crevices in the walls of this room ran with streams of molten gold and silver, and here and there were caverns lit up by smouldering fires from which thick smoke issued, and vapors emitting the odors of a volcano. Flames would suddenly burst from clefts in the rocks, and thunder rolled through the caverns. Red imps were everywhere, darting about noiselessly, some carrying beverages for the thirsty lost souls, others stirring the fires or turning somersaults. Everything was in a high state of motion.
And finally, next door to L'Enfer was Le Ciel (Heaven), where guests were greeted by a tipsy St. Peter
Another photo of the exterior facade of L'Enfer.
You entered L'Enfer through Satan's mouth.
The interior of L'Enfer
Another photo of the interior of L'Enfer showing one of the "Red Imp" servers.
Menu from L'Enfer
1950s. The original wooden doors replaced with a steel pull-up door. The club was removed in 1952. This photo is by Robert Doisneau.
William Chambers Morrow and Édouard Cucuel, authors of the 1899 book Bohemian Paris of To-Day, described the scene at L’Enfer thusly:
“Enter and be damned, the Evil One awaits you!” growled a chorus of rough voices as we hesitated before the scene confronting us. Near us was suspended a caldron over a fire, and hopping within it were half a dozen devil musicians, male and female, playing a selection from “Faust” on stringed instruments, while red imps stood by, prodding with red-hot irons those who lagged in their performance.
Crevices in the walls of this room ran with streams of molten gold and silver, and here and there were caverns lit up by smouldering fires from which thick smoke issued, and vapors emitting the odors of a volcano. Flames would suddenly burst from clefts in the rocks, and thunder rolled through the caverns. Red imps were everywhere, darting about noiselessly, some carrying beverages for the thirsty lost souls, others stirring the fires or turning somersaults. Everything was in a high state of motion.
And finally, next door to L'Enfer was Le Ciel (Heaven), where guests were greeted by a tipsy St. Peter