The Bois de Boulogne: This is a large park on the western side of Paris. Originally it was a hunting park for such kings as Francis I and later, the city took it over. During the Belle Époque the main avenue was a favorite play for the wealthy to promenade in their carriages and fine costumes so that they could greet their acquaintances and all the world could see them and admire them. This is admirably portrayed in the Gigi film which used the real Bois, not a substitute as the set.

PreCatalan: This is an anachronism; the restaurant was opened in 1905 but, as Honoré announces, the year is 1900. However, it is very famous and introduces the flavor of Paris. It is mentioned in Colette's Gigi, which must have been set several years later as evidenced by the motor cars Gaston drives rather than the carriages shown in the film. These cars did not yet exist in 1900. Lerner picked up on the reference but didn't check the date.

Eiffel Tour: Honoré calls the Eiffel Tour 'the world's largest useless object'. The 1,000 ft. steel tower, the icon for Paris, stands by the Seine and is its main tourist attraction in the city. It has two restaurants. The one on the first level, at 347 feet is open to the general public. The one on the second level at 674 feet is reached by a private elevator and is accessible by reservation only. That is where Gaston would have had his party for 300 before going to Trouville. He never made it to his own party.

The Opéra Comique: This, the second most important opera company in Paris, was founded in 1714 and has occupied many theatres over the years. It gave its name to the type of opera which combines spoken dialogue with sung arias. One of the most famous operas to have had its premiere there is Bizet's Carmen. This is the opera in which Gigi's mother is singing a minor role at the time the novella opens. The works of Gilbert and Sullivan are an example of opéras comique.

Honfleur and Trouville: These are now resort towns on the northeastern coast of France. Honfleur dates from the Middle Ages and was an important port throughout its history, especially during the Hundred Years War. During and after the Napoleonic era the port was largely ruined but the town continues as a resort. Trouville is still a major beach resort.

Versailles: The grand Palace of Versailles resulted in the buildup of a town around it which became the de facto capital of France under the monarchy. It does have a reservoir, a lake by which one can still picnic today, but Gaston seems to be referring to a restaurant in the town which was patronized by the demimonde, since being seen there with him would have made Gigi notorious. If so, it is gone now, or at least is not popular because it is not listed in the city guides.

Maxim's: Maxim's was founded in 1893 and soon became legendary, the place to be seen. Edward VII of England frequented it, Louis Jourdan took Leslie Caron there in the movie Gigi, and Onassis wooed the opera prima donna Maria Callas there. As a young man, Wolfgang Puck was a chef there. It is still very active and very expensive, but times have changed. No longer does Parisian society frequent it; it is now mainly the haunt of tourists. Since 1981 it has belonged to the couturier Pierre Cardin, and branches have been opened in cities such as New York, Moscow, Tokyo and Beijing.

Return to Contents Page

Revised August 2010
Please credit Lyric Opera San Diego when using this material.