Road Trip Series Paris — Lido Cabaret

Vintage glamour is alive and well in The City of Light

The life of the show girl has a certain dazzling appeal. As a child I used to watch classic Hollywood show biz musicals and fantasize about being one of the exotic creatures on stage, covered in feathers and glittering from head to toe. I still do daydream about it now and then if I’m honest. So when my boyfriend and I were in Paris for a weekend this month, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to experience one of the most famous cabarets in the world. In 1946, Joseph and Louis Clerico took over a fashionable 1920s venue with decor inspired by Lido beach in Venice and transformed it into a one-of-a-kind cabaret. With the collaboration of Pierre Louis Guérin, René Fraday and Miss Bluebell, the Lido invented the dinner show format that soon set the standard for nightclub entertainment. Many famous people have performed there over the years, including Edith Piaf, Maurice Chevalier, Marlene Dietrich, Laurel and Hardy, Elton John and Shirley MacLaine. Located on the high-end Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the luxurious venue is home to the celebrated Bluebell Girls and the Lido Boy Dancers. The show Bonheur features a real ice rink, a clown called Housch Ma Housch, 23 sets, spectacular costumes and, of course, a little bit of skin. Yes, several of the female dancers perform topless. Hey, when in Paris, right?

Prices range depending on the package you choose, but even the cheapest is a splurge. We went for the “Plaisir” dinner and show package. The food was quite good and the champagne was even better. We were a bit surprised that we didn’t get our own table for the price we paid, but it meant that we got to meet a nice French couple and a lovely business man from Mexico. It was definitely a night to remember. Visit the Lido website for more information.

• Tweet