Le Chat Noir (“The Black Cat”) was a nineteenth-century entertainment establishment. Originally it was opened at 84 Boulevard de Rochechouart by the impresario Rodolphe Salis, and closed in 1897 not long after Salis' death. Famous regulars included Guy de Maupassant, Pablo Picasso, Paul Verlaine.

Best known now by its iconic Théophile Steinlen poster, in its heyday it was a bustling nightclub that was part artist salon, part rowdy music hall. Famous regulars included Guy de Maupassant, Pablo Picasso, Paul Verlaine. From 1882 to 1895 the cabaret published a weekly magazine with the same name, featuring literary writings, news from the cabaret and Montmartre, poetry, and political satire.

This new Chat Noir, located at 68, Boulevard de Clichy, remained popular into the 1920s. Today, a neon sign which incorporates Steinlen’s iconic Chat Noir image is on display at 68, Boulevard de Clichy, now the site of a hotel by the same name.