Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Ranelagh Theatre, located 5 rue des Vignes in Paris 16th, was built in 1894 by music enthusiast Louis Mors on the site of an old 18th century music salon. This sculpted oak lounge, in a Flemish neo-Renaissance style, was inaugurated in 1895 with a representation of the Swiss Test of Casimir Girard. Mors organized recitals there in the presence of Claude Debussy and exhibited his collection of ancient instruments, under the Latin motto "Mihi amicisque meis" ("For me and my friends").

In 1931, the place was transformed into a cinema by Charles Saint Pouloff and Jean Galland, while retaining its original decor. From 1957 to the 1970s, under the direction of painter Henri Ginet, he became an art and essay cinema frequented by personalities such as Gérard Philipe or Arletty. Ginet also opened a gallery exhibiting emerging artists, including Christian Boltanski in 1968. The hall, which was classified as a historic monument in 1977 for its woodwork and caisson ceiling, was converted into a theatre in 1985.

Under the direction of Madona Bouglione (1986-2005), the Ranelagh became an eclectic place combining theatre, music and circus, welcoming clowns like Slava Polounine or Philippe Avron. Since 2005, Catherine Develay has programmed faithful artists like Nicolas Vaude or Pascal Amoyel. With 300 seats, this French theatre, one of the few in Paris, attracts more than 90,000 spectators a year.

The site preserves traces of its history, such as the Latin maxim on the pediment or the panoramic films available online. Its past, linked to figures such as Voltaire, Rameau, Wagner or Debussy, makes it an emblematic place for Parisian cultural life, from the Enlightenment to the present day.

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