Le Lapin Agile

Le Lapin Agile

Le Lapin Agile is located in the heart of Paris's Montmartre district, at 22 Rue des Saules on the steep cobblestone street, northwest of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, and is the most famous cabaret in Montmartre. Originally it was called “Le Cabaret des Assassins” (The Assassins’ Cabaret), reportedly named so because assassins broke in and killed the owner’s son. In 1875, artist André Gill painted the cabaret’s sign as an image of a rabbit jumping out of a pot, prompting locals to begin calling it “Le Lapin à Gill,” meaning “Gill’s Rabbit.” In the early 20th century, Le Lapin Agile became a favorite haunt for struggling artists and writers, including Picasso, Modigliani, Apollinaire, and Utrillo.

As the artistic heart of Paris in the early 20th century, it was a place where many discussions about “the meaning of art” took place. Le Lapin Agile attracted the area’s questionable Montmartre characters, including pimps, eccentrics, and others, as well as students from the Latin Quarter. Picasso’s 1905 painting “At the Lapin Agile” helped make it world-famous. Another Montmartre artist, Utrillo, often featured the cabaret in his canvases. In 1993, American comedian Steve Martin wrote the play “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” which depicts an imaginary meeting between Picasso and Einstein at the cabaret. Today, many people visit Le Lapin Agile, whose cabaret shows date back to 15th-century French songs.

Lapin Agile

Must-go reason: The most famous cabaret in Montmartre

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: France[France]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Île-de-France Region [Ile-de-France Region]

City where the attraction is located: Paris [Paris]