- Quartier Pigalle
Pigalle is an area in
Paris around Place Pigalle, on the border between the 9th and the 18th "arrondissements". It is named after the sculptorJean-Baptiste Pigalle (1714 –1785 ).Pigalle is famous for being a touristic
red-light district , with manysex shop s on Place Pigalle and the main boulevards andprostitute s operating in the side streets. The neighborhood's raunchy reputation led to its World War II nickname of "Pig Alley" by Allied soldiers. TheDivan du Monde and theMoulin Rouge , a world-famouscabaret , are both located in Pigalle.The area to the south of Place Pigalle is devoted to the retail of musical instruments and equipment, especially for popular music. A section of the "rue de Douai" solely consists of stores selling
guitar s,drum s, and musical accessories.Henri Toulouse-Lautrec 's studio was here. Artists such asPablo Picasso ,Vincent van Gogh , andMaurice Neumont also once lived here. The works of artistSalvador Dalí can be seen at the nearbyEspace Dalí .It was also the home of the
Grand Guignol theatre, which closed in 1962. However, the theatre itself still stands. TheMusée de l'érotisme (Museum of Eroticism) can also be found here.Pigalle is a well known spot for tourists who want to experience "Paris by night". This neighborhood in
Montmartre has long been notorious as a popular hotspot for the more risqué crowd. It is home to some of Paris' most famous cabarets ("Moulin Rouge," for instance, was immortalized by artist Toulouse-Lautrec as well as Hollywood), as well as topless and nude shows.Pigalle is one end-point of the Montmartrobus (a public bus serving the area), or you can get to Pigalle place by taking the Métro to the Pigalle stop.
A film was made in 1994 entitled "Pigalle". It was set in this district of Paris and starred
Véra Briole andFrancis Renauld . An album was made byÉdith Piaf , entitled "La Rue Pigalle".External links
* [http://gofrance.about.com/cs/sexadultsonly/a/pigalleplace.htm Review of Pigalle]
* [http://www.rendezvousfrance.com/pigalle.html Information about Pigalle]
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