Au Bonheur du Jour

On the corner of rue Cherubini and rue Chabanais is the subtle facade of what used to be the most luxurious brothel of the Belle Epoque era, Le 12 rue Chaboanais.

While it is no longer a brothel, Nicole Canet, a former cabaret dancer proclaiming to be an “archeologist of desire,” keeps the lavish memories of high-quality erotica alive, strengthening the reputation of Paris as the city of lust and light.

Using her experience in show business and her taste for sensuality as a spectacle, Madame Canet has been collecting, selling and compiling a plethora of erotic drawings, photographs, and other exquisite items from the past century.

A gallery space separated from the front room is full of two-dimensional images and opulent brothel memorabilia that give you a peek through the keyhole into a dark French bohemian past.