Introduction
On July 30, 2022, the curtain fell on the Champs-Élysées, and with it, 76 years of feathers, sequins and French-style revues. That evening, the Lido hosted its final dinner show. The iconic venue at 116 bis avenue des Champs-Élysées still exists, but it no longer offers cabaret. Now called the Théâtre du Lido, its programming has shifted to international musical theatre, in the spirit of Broadway.
A question then arose for all lovers of Parisian revues, tourists and locals alike: where can you still experience, in Paris, a true cabaret evening, with dinner show, French Cancan, dancers and dazzling tableaux? This article looks back at the history of the Lido, explains what the venue has become, and presents the alternatives keeping the Parisian cabaret tradition alive today.
The Lido: A Story That Begins Long Before the Revues
Contrary to popular belief, the Lido was not always a cabaret. The venue was founded in 1928 by industrialist Francisque Chaux, originally at 78 avenue des Champs-Élysées. It was initially a bathing and swimming establishment featuring aquatic shows, reserved for the upper classes. The décor, designed by René Berger, drew inspiration from Venice and its famous Lido beach, earning the venue the nickname “La Plage de Paris” (The Beach of Paris).
Following a bankruptcy in 1933, producer Léon Volterra took over the premises in 1936 and replaced the swimming pool with a performance hall. Then, in 1946, brothers Joseph and Louis Clerico, of Italian origin, purchased the establishment and inaugurated it on June 20 of that year with a first revue entitled Sans rimes ni raison. The Lido cabaret, as the world would come to know it, was born.
Why Did the Lido Close Its Cabaret ?
The transformation of the Lido took place in a particular context. Weakened by the Covid-19 crisis, which hit the live entertainment and tourism sectors hard, the Lido was acquired in early 2022 by the hotel group Accor. In May 2022, the new management announced the transformation of the cabaret into a venue dedicated to musical theatre.
On July 30, 2022, the Lido held its final dinner show. Artistic direction was entrusted to Jean-Luc Choplin, former director of the Théâtre du Châtelet. On December 1, 2022, the venue reopened under the name Lido 2 Paris (later renamed Théâtre du Lido) with the musical Cabaret, directed by Robert Carsen. Since then, the programming has featured international productions: The Rocky Horror Show (February 2024), Titanique (April 2025), and Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (2025–2026).
The Lido continues to exist as a venue, but it no longer offers the cabaret experience. No revue, no dinner show, no French Cancan.
Where Can You Still Experience Cabaret in Paris Today?
Since the transformation of the Lido, the question comes up often: where can you find, in Paris, that very particular format of French cabaret, combining a dinner show with a revue, French Cancan, grand tableaux and a full artistic troupe?
The Parisian offering has narrowed. Few venues today combine the three elements that defined the Lido’s identity: a historically significant setting, a cabaret revue in the fullest sense, and an integrated gastronomic experience. The Paradis Latin is one of the rare Parisian venues still offering this combination, in a historic setting and under a contemporary artistic direction
Paradis Latin: The Cabaret Alternative Combining Authenticity and Modernity
For many former Lido spectators, the Paradis Latin has emerged as the most natural alternative. Three reasons explain this positioning.
Over Two Centuries of History
The Paradis Latin is the oldest cabaret in Paris still in operation. The venue was originally built in the early 19th century on the orders of Napoleon, 500 metres from Notre-Dame. It first served as a theatre and literary gathering place (Balzac, Alexandre Dumas and Prosper Mérimée were regulars), before being entirely rebuilt in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel, the same year as the Eiffel Tower.
The hall, listed as part of the historic heritage of Paris, retains its original character. This historical link with Gustave Eiffel is a point rarely highlighted, but it anchors the Paradis Latin in the architectural and cultural history of Paris in a way few other cabarets can claim.
A Contemporary Revue Without Breaking from Tradition
Since 2019, the revue on stage is called L’Oiseau Paradis. It is directed and choreographed by Kamel Ouali, one of France’s most renowned choreographers (Le Roi Soleil, Les Dix Commandements, Star Academy). The ambition behind this creation is precisely what other formats were missing: preserving the codes of Parisian cabaret (dinner show, French Cancan, grand tableaux), while introducing contemporary stagecraft, current technologies, and a narrative that goes beyond simply stringing numbers together.
The troupe includes around thirty artists (dancers, singers, acrobats, actors, burlesque performers), the costumes were created by the Parisian fashion house On Aura Tout Vu (known for dressing Beyoncé and Katy Perry), and the sets were designed by Alain Lagarde.
An Experience Designed as a Complete Evening
The format stays true to the dinner-show tradition: welcome from 7:30 PM, pre-show during dinner, 90-minute show from 9:30 PM. The menu is an exclusive creation by Guy Savoy. A lunch-show option is also available. This complete experience, in a listed venue, with a clear artistic vision, is exactly what most people were looking for when they chose the Lido for an evening in Paris just a few years ago.
Yes, the building still stands at the same location on the Champs-Élysées. However, since July 30, 2022, it no longer offers cabaret revues or dinner shows. Renamed Théâtre du Lido, it now programmes international musicals.
Yes. The Paradis Latin, located in the 5th arrondissement, offers a dinner show with a full revue, French Cancan and a complete artistic troupe. The revue L’Oiseau Paradis, directed by Kamel Ouali, has been running since 2019.
The Paradis Latin. Its origins date back to 1802, when Napoleon Bonaparte commissioned the construction of the Théâtre Latin. The current building was rebuilt in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel.
The Lido has not offered cabaret since July 2022: it now programmes musicals. The Paradis Latin remains a cabaret in the traditional sense, with dinner show, revue and French Cancan, in a venue listed as part of the historic heritage of Paris and rebuilt by Gustave Eiffel.
