Although it closed a few years ago, the La Pagodecinema has made a name for itself in the folklore of legendary Parisian addresses. This art-house cinema was renowned for its unusual Japanese-inspired architecture: its facade, roofs and main auditorium are listed as historic monuments, as is its garden. Built in 1896 by architect Alexandre Marcel, it was originally a gift from François-Émile Morin, director of Bon Marché, for his wife.
La Pagode became a cinema open to the public in 1931, and was the only one in the 7th arrondissement. In 2015, the address closed its doors for renovations. It was bought 2 years later by Charles S. Cohen, an up-and-coming American real estate developer, who intends to reopen the cinema.
But then, at the end of the confinement period, a controversy erupted in this Parisian neighborhood. On May 11, 2020, the trees in the listed garden were felled, including the weeping beech that had stood there since the beginning, the gingko biloba that had been planted in 1990, and the chestnut tree. A fact which triggered the anger of local residents and environmental protection associations alike.
Despite the scandal, the cinema's renovation project continues and its rebirth takes shape. After being postponed several times, the reopening seems to be taking shape. In 2025, the Pagode should once again welcome cinema-goers following a major renovation project. So what will this historic Paris cinema look like when it reopens?
This project involves two agencies, : Loci Anima and Pierre-Antoine Gatier, chief architect of historic monuments, is set to unveil 4 cinema screens instead of the previous two. The entrance is to be replaced by a glazed portal, giving a view of the Pagoda' s listed facade, and the address is to be designed as a genuine living space, adapted to standards and with disabled access. Its Japanese garden, also restored, should also be open to the public.
