1920's Le Lido des Champs-Elysees Program

Original late 1920's Le Lido Cabaret Program & Hand Fan

This Parisian Cabaret was famous for its Venetian Pool and was called "The Beach of Paris"

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Click on thumbnails for larger view

Program Size Folded: 5-5/16"w x 4-5/16"h

This is a Tri-Fold Program

I bought the "Lido Program" and the "Lido Hand Fan" together. The fan measures almost 16" in length and is made of very delicate paper with a wire frame. The entire wire frame is encased in a very thin, gilded gold color paper. As can be seen from the damage on the reverse side of the fan, the fan was pasted into someones scrap book ~ but at least it survived the last 80-90 years.

In author Sisley Huddleston's 1928 book "Bohemian Literary and Social Life in Paris: Salons, Cafes, Studios", Huddleston writes this of the Lido;

"The Lido - a new establishment in the Champs-Elysees-is described as 'the transportation of Venice to the French capital'. I cannot improve on the following account of it which I find in a local newspaper and I quote it with all its naivete "It is an immense marble hall underground, constructed with high Roman pillars which support gorgeously painted ceilings on the lines of those in Venetian palaces.

On entering the place you are first confronted with a square dance floor, which is raised slightly above the ground level. Innumerable small tables are dotted about over an illuminated glass floor. And at the extreme end is a large swimming pool with which even the fastidious Nero could not find fault. It is a most luxurious affair, made in pastel shades of marble glistening through pure green limpid water.

At intervals some twenty fountains are turned on at either side of the pool. These spray, forming a perfect rainbow arch which is reflected in a large mirror at the end of the hall. During supper one is entertained by half a dozen beautiful young dancers, then by a Neapolitan guitar band, which plays its romantic melodies from a small balcony above the swimming bath.

It is frequented at night (until three o'clock in the morning) mostly by the French and Americans. At cocktail time it is packed with every nationality, most of them in bathing suits. The women bathers sport incredible costumes. Their faces are powdered and painted, and one does not splash!.

The water is warm. The bath is also filled with rubber rafts and rubber horses and ducks. It should be added that masculine beauties display their manly forms for our admiration, strutting round in swimming attire."

Sisley Huddleston
1883-1952

Sisley Huddleston was a noted British writer & author who lived in Paris during WW1 as an editor of a British Armed Forces Newspaper and continued to live in Paris and write about Paris until the 1930's.

I have a first edition of this book and if you enjoy reading about the great 1920's era of active Parisian life, this is a great book to find and have for your library.

If you like vintage Parisian cabaret programs, there are two others on the blog: Click to see programs for Folies-Bergere and the Olympia.