Prostitutes of Paris - The new Gomorrah and her bohemia

At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, the prostitutes of paris, as well as several cities in France; and legal brothels began to appear that were controlled by the French government at that time, which were known as houses close o houses of tolerance.

These establishments, with a very discreet external appearance; they were run by ex-prostitutes and the requirement was that they be identified by a red lantern when they were open. On the other hand, at prostitutes of paris They were only allowed to leave the maison for a few days; only if they were accompanied by their boss.

Places where life was made in the nights of Paris

By 1810, the city of Paris had 180 brothels that were officially approved. They were places like taverns, brothels and cabarets; served as inspiration for many artists who lived the nights of the Belle Époque from Paris.

All those places were the symbol of bohemian life and pleasure. Some painters like Edgar Degas, Toulouse Lautrec, Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, Louis Legrand, among others; they managed to capture in their works the daily reality of this environment and of course; the intimate life of these vip whores that never got out of their hardship.

Thanks to the works of these artists it was possible to know the body and face of these women; however, a few details of their personal stories are known about them. Nightlife revolved around the most famous brothels or cabarets in Paris; such as the Moulin de la Galette, Le Chat Noir, Le Laplin Agile and the Moulin Rouge, among others.

In these places the escorts they were the stars, who were dedicated to work as dancers, waitresses, singers and sometimes also as prostitutes.

Regulations and diseases

When the French government regulated prostitution, the escort girls They had to be registered and undergo medical and administrative checks on a monthly basis; in order to avoid the spread of syphilis, a scourge that came to infect many people of the time.

Similarly, for their activity to be legal, women had to register and control themselves; if they were not arrested and interned in the Saint Lazare prison. Despite all the regulations, syphilis was the cause of death for many artists; such as Jules de Goncourt, Charles Baudelaire, Georges Seurat, Guy de Maupassant, Paul Gaugin, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, among others.

This infectious disease occurred mostly in urban settings; and that is why the writings of that time referred to Paris as the new Gomorrah. For all this, women prostitutes of paris were linked to the idea of fatal woman (death incarnate and the origin of all evils); and although in the same way, women were also victims of these infectious diseases, they were marginalized.

Dances, songs and prostitutes of paris

Absolutely all the entertainment of that time was based on women who sang, danced and offered different services where prostitution stands out. One of the activities listed is the Moulin de la Galette dances, where the popular classes mixed with the gentlemen of the city who were in search of new experiences.

The main site of attention of the city of Paris was the Moulin Rouge with its can-can. In this place, men could find women in black stockings and corsets that contrasted with the white petticoats of the dancers; which were dedicated to presenting provocative choreography and wild screams.

Other artistic places such as Char Noir would at that time be the space for clandestine encounters; That was the first meeting point of the artistic avant-garde in Paris. There the clients could enjoy shows and varied music; as well as circus and shadow theater, but what they most sought was the discreet privacy of the booths.

Without a doubt, one of the most original and ingenious ways that Parisians found to circumvent state regulations on prostitution were the brasseries des femmes; that they were breweries that were only run by waitresses.

In Paris they came to calculate around 130 brasseries, a phenomenon that began with the Universal Exposition of 1867 and although it was initially oriented to tourism, it obtained an overwhelming success at a general level. Painters, journalists, writers and other characters met in these places, who later organized unusual clubs of the XNUMXth century. 

Best known XNUMXth century prostitutes in Paris

From everything we have explained above, it is obvious that the typology of prostitutes of paris it was very varied.

At the top of the social pyramid, the most beautiful and elegant courtesans could be located; which made the rich fall in love and led them to ruin with their extravagant whims, among some of the most renowned are:

• Louise Webe "La Goulue"
• Jane Avril “L'etrange”
• Yvette Guilbert The “Diseuse”
• Jeanne Bourgeois “Mistingett”
• Queen Pomaré
• Eugenie buffet
• Celeste Mogador
• May Belfort
• Cha-u-kao

Conclusion

In this article we have told you a little about what prostitution meant in Paris, since its inception; even in what way the women of that time practiced that profession so ancient.

If you are curious about this type of topic, we invite you to review other blogs that we have for you, related to the world of Argentine escort, there you will be able to know everything you want about these beautiful and attractive women, as well as request their services.