Théâtre de la Gaîté Montparnasse, a former café-concert venue

The Théâtre de la Gaîté-Montparnasse, located at 26 rue de la Gaité, is a stone's throw from the Gare Montparnasse train station . Its distinctive red façade is easy to spot on the busy street.

This historic theater owes its creation toNapoleon III's Universal Exhibition of 1867. The aim of the exhibition was to promote the France of the Third Republic to the whole world, bringing together over 50,000 exhibitors and welcoming the Russian Tsar, the Emperor of Japan and the German Kaiser. A temporary theater was created for the occasion. The following year, following the destruction of the theater, limonadier François Jamin rebuilt a new one, using materials from the old theater. The Théâtre de la Gaîté-Montparnasse was born in 1868.

First operated as a café-concert until the end of the Second World War, great artists such as Polin, Dorville and Yvette Guilbert performed here. Later transformed into an avant-garde theater, it was finally bought and renovated by Michel Fagadau in 1955. It was listed as aHistoric Monument on April 3, 1984.

With its 401-seat auditorium, the theater has become an essential venue for comedy and musical shows in Paris. Despite its size, the venue manages to retain an intimate atmosphere. Since 2010, the Gaîté-Montparnasse has belonged to the Théâtres parisiens associés, an association of 50 private Parisian theaters.

A magnificent venue full of history at 26 rue de la Gaité, in Paris's 14th arrondissement.

• To be read
• This week in Paris from May 12 to 18, 2025: free or affordable outings

Thomas Marty unveils a new show of confidences and self-mockery at Gaité Montparnasse
Thomas Marty returns with a new show at Gaité Montparnasse from October 4, 2025 to January 16, 2026, continuing his humorous storytelling on stage after the success of Allez, la bise! [Read more]

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: a fairytale retelling at Gaité Montparnasse
The tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is reinvented on stage in a modern, musical and fairytale version. To be seen at the Théâtre de la Gaité Montparnasse until May 1, then back again from October 5, 2025. [Read more]

Les Vilaines: a dazzling musical at La Gaîté Montparnasse
Les Vilaines, Guy and Elsa Bontempelli's musical comedy, goes behind the scenes of the great Parisian revues until May 21 at Théâtre de la Gaîté Montparnasse. [Read more]

Alexis Le Rossignol: his next show dates in Paris in 2025
Alexis Le Rossignol returns with his latest show, Le sens de la vie, at the Gaîté Montparnasse, from May 10 to June 7, 2025, following a tour of France. [Read more]

Fred Radix's La Claque at La Gaîté Montparnasse: the history of theater claque
Fred Radix presents La Claque, an interactive play in which he revisits the history of the claque (applause) in theater. The show runs at the Gaîté Montparnasse from September 15, 2024 to May 27, 2025. [Read more]