There are places in Paris that tell the whole story of a neighborhood. And the Folies Pigalle is definitely one of them. From the rise of cinema in the 30s to the French Touch nights of the 90s, this institution has lived a thousand faces and a thousand wild nights, always right on Pigalle Square. But while the square has just enjoyed a fresh makeover, all renovated and greened up, the Folies Pigalle building looks quite shabby. The 9th arrondissement has taken matters into their own hands: the nightclub will be under scaffolding until spring, as renovations are a must!
Behind the façade, decades of Parisian history
Before welcoming the night owls who linger in Pigalle—those aimless wanderers simply looking for a spot to stretch their legs to some music, any music—the Folies Pigalle building, erected in 1845, originally hosted at the start of the night…
last century a theater then a cinema with an Italian-style decor. A fruitful period for the neighborhood, which was experiencing the booming age of cinema in the 1930s. After the war, cinema eventually gave way to cabarets, featuring shows with nude dancers that lit up the scene from the 1960s until the early 1990s. Then came the era of French Touch and the building welcomed big names in the genre, from the young David Guetta to Bob Sinclar, including Daft Punk, even before they truly became Daft Punk.A la place du célèbre lieu de la nuit les Folie’s Pigalle,
— Paris Classics (@parisclassique) February 21, 2023
se tenait un cinéma (photos 1945 et années 50) pic.twitter.com/ZcBE0SNXef
A Spring Renaissance
Today, the Folies Pigalle isn't as magnificent as it used to be. But the nightclub keeps on thriving, night after night, weekend after weekend. Still shining bright with its large, eye-catching red neon lights, the building has faced, over time, some "structural weaknesses" and an increased deterioration of its historic decor, reports Le Parisien. Now, the facade of Folies Pigalle is covered by a large tarp while major renovation work is underway. According to the 9th district mayor's office, the venue is set to regain its full splendor by mid-May, in "an architectural style reminiscent of the 1930s Pigalle Cinema". bsp;».
Après des années de délabrement, le bâtiment des Folies Pigalle, édifié en 1845 et protégé au titre du PLU, va enfin être rénové, avec restitution de la façade dans son état des années 1930, à l'époque où un cinéma occupait les lieux (11 place Pigalle).@Mairie9Paris @dburkli pic.twitter.com/25y1m9x6oZ
— Paris Historique (@ParisHistorique) January 12, 2026
Address: 11 Pl. Pigalle, 75009 Paris, France