Maison Gainsbourg
LE MUSÉE
The Legacy
A new cultural institution, Maison Gainsbourg, has recently opened its doors on Rue de Verneuil in Paris. This institution is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the iconic French singer, songwriter, actor, and provocateur, Serge Gainsbourg. Gainsbourg, who left an indelible mark on French pop culture, resided at 5 bis Rue de Verneuil from May 1969 until his passing in 1991. His daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, has meticulously preserved every aspect of the house and its contents, offering the public a unique experience that sheds new light on his work.
Maison Gainsbourg comprises two distinct locations. The first is the historic house at 5 bis Rue de Verneuil, where Serge Gainsbourg lived for over two decades. The second site, located across the street at 14 Rue Verneuil, houses a museum chronicling the artist's life and career, a boutique bookstore, and Gainsbarre, a café and piano bar for visitors to extend their visit. Maison Gainsbourg offers two tour options: a combined 'House & Museum' tour lasting approximately 1.5 hours and a 'Museum only' tour lasting about 1 hour. Charlotte and her team anticipate hosting nearly 100,000 visitors annually and have planned various on-site, digital, and off-site programs.
A Musical Journey from Yé-Yé to Iconoclast
Serge Gainsbourg, born in 1928 to Russian Jewish immigrants, started his artistic journey as a musician and painter in 1958, transitioning into a singing career. He achieved recognition initially but later faced competition from the yé-yé movement, prompting a shift to composing for others. Throughout his career, he struggled to define his unique style, but his romance with Brigitte Bardot in 1967 led to iconic songs like 'Je t’aime… moi non plus.' In the 1970s, he experimented with avant-garde albums before attaining broad success at 51 with his reggae adaptation of the national anthem.
Known for his controversial television appearances, Gainsbourg cultivated a provocative image, reserving his most daring songs for himself. Despite becoming a legend, he succumbed to his excesses and passed away in 1991.
5 bis Rue de Verneuil, Gainsbourg's former home and workspace, has been preserved by Charlotte Gainsbourg along with its contents for over three decades. Visitors equipped with geo-located headphones can explore the house while listening to an original soundtrack created by Soundwalk Collective, featuring audio archives and Charlotte's anecdotes about her father. The tour takes visitors through various rooms, including the famous ground-floor living room with its distinctive black felt walls and white marble floor.
A Musical Odyssey Through Art and History
At 14 Rue de Verneuil, Maison Gainsbourg offers a hybrid space with a museum, a boutique bookstore, and Gainsbarre, which serves as both a café and a piano bar. The museum's permanent exhibit, lasting approximately one hour, delves into Serge Gainsbourg's life through eight chronological chapters, featuring nearly 450 original objects, manuscripts, artwork, clothing, and jewelry from his collection. The Maison Gainsbourg collection contains around 25,000 references, including significant works like Claude Lalanne's 'L’Homme à Tête de Chou' and Salvador Dalí's 'La Chasse aux Papillons.' The museum also houses an extensive documentary collection with over 3,000 manuscripts, a press archive, and a photographic archive.
Visitors can choose between two tour options: a combined 'House & Museum' tour or a 'Museum only' tour. The former offers an intimate exploration of Gainsbourg's childhood home narrated by Charlotte, followed by access to the museum, while the latter provides a comprehensive one-hour tour of the museum, including a video tour and thematic temporary exhibitions.
