I already posted about this Paris "landmark" once, but it was along time ago and it's still amazing to think that at the age of the Internet, Video On Demand and other cutting edge technology, there is still room for a good old brick and mortar "sexodrome"! For those of you who have never been in Paris, this building is located in the 18th arrondissement, around La Place Pigalle (named after Jean-Baptiste Pigalle), not far from Le Moulin Rouge where a sort of Red Light District still survives. They claim to be "the largest adult entertainment center in Europe", but I haven't checked the info myself!
"Love Store" What's love got to do with it? :O
ReplyDeleteDon't laugh, but I just took that touristy choo choo train on Pigalle up to Montmartre. While waiting for the train, I was surprised at Sex shop after sex shop on that strip. I don't know what it is like at night, but I felt perfectly safe during the day there.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it's a bit of a dodgy part of town - it's still a must see part of Paris. My boyfriend and I visited le Musee de l'Erotisme when we came last year, and got an eye-full & lots of giggles.
ReplyDeleteI stayed in a hotel near there once - right between two bars with 'ladies of the night' plying their trade and felt perfectly safe even on a walk back at 1am from a show at trianon!
ReplyDeleteIn addition to Le Moulin Rouge, several famous cabaret clubs used to be there. Not only Le Chat Noir, but Le Rat Mort, which is featured in...somebody's painting, can't remember.
ReplyDeleteIt's "En Cabinet particulier - au Rat Mort", by Toulouse Lautrec
ReplyDeleteOoh la la!
ReplyDeleteFirst church, then ice cream, then sex... Must be heaven!
ReplyDeleteHaving innocently 'stumbled' into this area one night almost two years ago - the bright lights had temporarily blinded me - I was nearly blown away by this enormous flashing red neon sign which proudly displayed in large flashing one metre tall Arial Black lettering 'SUPERSEX'. Delighted with my discovery I eagerly approached the broad shoulered 'madame' who stood at the door and said "Can I have the soup please?" Dermo
ReplyDeleteWe will eagerly await your critique on the services.
ReplyDeleteI love walking around there.
ReplyDeleteNever forget one moment:
My husband walked a few meters in front of me and was asked by one of the ladies. When he looked behind him and pinted at me it was no problem:
"Ahhh, avec madamme!"
Still makes me smile!
Glad to hear that people feel safe in this neighborhood nowadays—back in the Sixties, I definitely did NOT feel safe here, especially at night. But I guess that's true of lots of formerly sketchy Paris neighborhoods that have now become très chic et très cher!
ReplyDeleteEric, I have lived in New York right next to Times Square and 42nd Street since the good old days when Manhattan had actual character which included porn stores and prostitutes of every stripe, long before it became a bastion of banks, chain pharmacies and Starbucks, so I have never feared walking in "tough" or seedy environs. However, years ago in Pais I was out late at night taking pictures soley of the neon signs along this strip for a project and I was surrendly roughly surrounded by the bouncers and doormen of several of the establishments who threatened to break my camera if I took another picture. They assumed I was filming them, and back then my french was not good enough to explain. Nowadays I could have shown them the pictures on the digital screen playback, but back in the days of film that wasn't an option! Glad to see they don't rough up les photographs these days!
ReplyDeleteSexodrome!! I never noticed. Good name, actually :)
ReplyDelete