Lido-de-Paris: the mythical cabaret on the Champs-Elysées

The Lido (or Lido-de-Paris) is a Parisian cabaret located 116 bis avenue des Champs-Elysées (8th), near the Arc de Triomphe, on the north side of the Champs Elysées. Inaugurated in 1946 by Joseph and Louis Clerico, the place is famous for its shows in which dancers, singers and various artists perform.

An original show to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Lido-de-Paris!

An ode to Paris for a grandiose show. Let yourself be transported by the beauty of the BlueBell Girls, the glitter, the feathers and the talent of the artists. For this anniversary season, the Lido has created "Inoubliable", a retrospective of the most beautiful numbers of 5 mythical shows!

Re-opening of the Lido-de-Paris after the Covid

The Lido creates the event for its reopening on September 16, 2021 and announces a new and festive program: a magical and immersive pre-show, the Paris Merveilles show with the creation of a new tableau, "Unforgettable", a fabulous journey through the most beautiful Lido shows.

The history of the Paris Lido: 75 years in the making

In 1936, Leon Volterra took over the management and replaced the swimming pool with a showroom. Joseph and Louis Clerico bought the Lido from Léon Volterra in 1946.

In 1948, Margaret Kelly, known as "Miss Bluebell" and her dance company, the "Bluebell Girls", joined the Lido dressing rooms.

In 1955, the Clerico brothers opened a franchise at the Stardust Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, which offered "Lido" shows until 1992.

In Paris, the success of the Lido led its operators to open a new showroom and to expand in 1977 at the current address on the Champs-Élysées in the Normandie building, at 116 bis. On more than 6,000 m2 of surface, a panoramic room without beams on two levels with 1,150 seats was created. A giant elevator allows the floor, where 300 guests are seated during dinner, to sink 80 cm into the ground to ensure good visibility.

In 2006, the Sodexo Group acquired a stake in the Lido. In 2009, Sodexo became a 100% shareholder after the Clérico's definitive withdrawal. Nathalie Szabo-Bellon, daughter of the founder of Sodexo, and CEO of Sodexo Prestige, became president of the cabaret.

Twenty seven revues have been created since 1946

The last revue "Paris Merveilles" is back on the bill after the Covid period.

The establishment is normally open 365 days a year and offers two shows a night.

Celebrities who have performed on the stage of the lido de Paris

Edith Piaf, Marlene Dietrich, Josephine Baker, the Kessler sisters, Laurel and Hardy, Dalida, Shirley MacLaine or Elton John, and many others, have performed on the cabaret stage.

The Bluebell Girls of the Lido-de-Paris, known all over the world

Margaret Kelly, nicknamed "Miss Bluebell" because of the color of her eyes, founded the Bluebell Girls troupe in 1932, which joined the Lido in Paris in 1948. These dancers were all ballet-trained but were considered too tall for a ballet company. The minimum height required to be a Bluebell Girl is 1.75m.

The hierarchy of bluebell girls in Paris Merveilles is as follows:

• the Bluebell Girls are the dancers who are not topless;
• the Belles are the topless dancers;
• the Sublimes are the soloists;
• the Boys

Each line is led by a captain.

The Bluebell Girls ballet was under the direction of Miss Bluebell until 1986, her assistant Pierre Rambert took over the ballet for 28 years until 2014. Jane Sansby is the current ballet mistress.