A guide to Paris' hottest neighborhood: Pigalle
From oat milk flat whites chinking on marble table tops to the infamous Boulevard de Clichy filled with neon lights, sex shops and cabarets: Pigalle feeds every appetite. We’ve rounded up our favorite addresses in this once seedy now gritty-cool Parisian neighborhood.
Every capital needs its once-rough-now-hip neighborhood. Paris answer is Pigalle. Neighboring the hilly streets of Montmartre this compact quartier gained fame as Paris’ red-light district - with the iconic Moulin Rouge at the heart of it all - but is now home to trendsetting hotels, crowded dive bars, chic restaurants and local design stores. And worry not: Pigalle still more than enough sleaze running through its blocks.
Where to eat
Kickstart your day with quality coffee’s and pastries at KB Coffee Roasters. For something more filling try the tasty pancakes at Marlette, right around the corner. Come brunch time head out to Buvette and you might see yourself coming back (or just staying in) for afternoon drinks after feasting on a Gruyère drenched croque. Did you know this cosy neighborhood restaurant is the love baby of the widely acclaimed Buvette ‘Gastroteques’ in New York and Tokyo and serves wines from pretty much every corner of the country? Made for ‘the gram’ is Pink Mamma. A four-story Italian restaurant with a greenhouse-like seating area at the top floor. The prices are fair, the food ‘just fine’. For an affordable taste of the French cuisine: Bouillon Pigalle. Inspired by the traditional French ‘bouillon’ eateries, Bouillon Pigalle serves classics like escargots, tartare de boeuf and salted codfish - all for under EUR 10 a meal.
where to sleep
Le Pigalle
Grand Pigalle Hotel (brought by the hospitality visionaries of the Experimental Group) is a great pick for those wanting Pigalle’s buzzy nightlife in walking distance without literally being part of it. This retro-chic boutique hotel boasts 37 sweet and small guest rooms and is home to ‘Frenchie’, the restaurant ran by Michelin-starred chef Gregory Marchand. Set in a former brothel Hotel Amour goes back to the essence of Pigalle. Located on a quiet side street off Rue des Martyrs, this seductive hotel pays homage to its past with rooms that can be rent by the hour. The Sunday brunches in the leafy courtyard are a favorite among Parisians. Neighborhood rebel Le Pigalle feels more like sleeping at an artists pied-à-terre rather than in a hotel. Rooms are decorated with vintage furniture and flee market findings, while the walls are pinned with old movie posters and sexy polaroid’s. Bonus points for the Le Labo toiletries. The boisterous hotel bar is where tourists and Parisians meet over the weekends - light sleepers might want to make sure to get a quieter room on the courtyard side.
where to shop
© Chinemachine
For interior goods you didn’t know you needed head out to The Cool Republic, a concept store which always has some clean Nordic design on display. Paris meets Tokyo in Maison Kitsuné, a fashion brand, music label and coffee shop all under one roof. With maisons exclusively located in Paris, New York and Tokyo you’re likely to get some ‘what is it that are you wearing?’ back home. Fun fact: one the two founders used to be the manager of Daft Punk. For some serious thrift shopping head to Chinemachine, an organized chaos where you might even find some designer Issey Miyake or Dior hidden in the piles of vintage goods. Sustainable and wallet-friendly. And these saved euro’s might come in handy at one of Pigalle’s watering holes below.
Where to drink
© Dirty Dick
Come night time the bars open, the neon signs light up and Parisians from all over town flock to Pigalle. Pigalle is for one night owls and the bar-lined Rue Frochot is the heart of it all. For an impressive selection of absinthe-focused cocktails head to Lulu White Drinking Club. This speakeasy cocktail bar gives us roaring twenties vibes with dimmed lights, art deco details and dark leather sofa’s. Yes to cocktails, but no to speakeasy? Dirty Dick, a few doors down, is a crazy tiki-style cocktail bar serving exotic drinks in coconut shells and Polynesian totems. Aloha to that. Capturing the traditional brasserie vibes is Le Sans Souci (French for carefree). Located at the busy intersection of Rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle and Rue de Douai this neighborhood favorite draws crowds from all over Paris that come to meet and drink - preferably on the sidewalk - of this Pigalle institution.