Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building housing the restaurant Julien, located at 16 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, is an emblematic example of architecture and Art Nouveau decor. Built between 1901 and 1902 by architect Édouard Fournier, the brewery opened in 1903 under the name Gandon-Fournier, before being taken over in 1924 by Julien Barbarin. Its interior, adorned with glass paste panels, vegetable mouldings in staff and a mahogany bar in Cuba by Louis Majorelle, embodies the floral and organic aesthetics of the movement. The works of artists such as Louis Trézel (inspired panels by Alfons Mucha), Armand Ségaud (paacock representations) and Hippolyte Boulenger (floral tiles) make it a unique place, classified as a historical monument in 1997.

The restaurant is part of a Parisian tradition of broths and popular breweries, which appeared in the 19th century to offer affordable meals. The establishment, renowned Chez Julien in 1938, became a meeting place for artists and cultural figures, such as Édith Piaf, who was waiting for Marcel Cerdan at his favourite table (n°24). His film history is marked by films like La Môme (2007) with Marion Cotillard and Chocolat (2016) with Omar Sy. In 2018, he took the name Bouillon Julien, perpetuating his legacy while joining the group Grande Brasseries de l'Est.

The building itself, with its facade and roof registered in 1997, bears witness to the urbanization of the Faubourg Saint-Denis, a historic area marked by café-concerts and inns since the 18th century. The former Cheval Blanc sign (1787) and the 19th century café-concert preceded this building, a symbol of the artistic modernity of the Belle Époque. The zenithal glass windows, added by Barbarin and made by the miraculous Georges Guenne with drawings by Charles Buffet, complete to create a luminous and immersive atmosphere, characteristic of the Parisian sociability places of the period.

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