Bouillon (restaurant)

In France, a bouillon (

When invented, the concept was to serve good quality food quickly, at an affordable price. By repeating the same formula across multiple sites, the founder also effectively invented the chain restaurant; however, the wider idea had no influence (beyond other bouillons) and ultimately it was American chains which revived the idea in France.[1]

Today, the buildings of some bouillons are listed historical monuments.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

History

The first bouillon was opened in 1854 by a butcher,

Meanwhile, Art Nouveau spread through Europe. The various World's Fairs in Paris 1878, 1889, and 1900, accelerated its influence, and restaurants followed the trend.^{[citation needed]}

In 1896, Bouillon Chartier was opened by brothers Frédéric and Camille Chartier on Rue du Faubourg Montmartre.^{[citation needed]}

In 1903, Bouillon Gandon-Duval opened in an old restaurant converted by the owner and architect, Edouard Fournier.^{[citation needed]}

In 1904, another bouillon with luxurious Art Nouveau decoration was opened on Boulevard Saint-Germain. The architect was Jean-Marie Bouvier. Today, it houses Brasserie Vagenende, which is not a bouillon.^{[citation needed]}

With

Nowadays, only a few authentic bouillons remain, such as the one of the Faubourg-Montmartre and in particular the one in Rue Racine, which has the most baroque style of Art Nouveau.

Until 1926, Camille Chartier remained the owner. After being called Bouillon Ollé and Joussot, it was Mme. Launois who kept the restaurant until 1956. The following purchaser sold the goodwill to the University of Paris, which opened a restaurant there for the staff of the Sorbonne from 1962 until 1993. The major part of the decoration survived but the restaurant did not benefit from the special care allotted to luxurious restaurants.^{[citation needed]}

The complete renovation of Bouillon Racine took place in 1996, thanks to the

Since 2017, the Parisian bouillon has seen a resurgence. Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse, which had been lately functioning as a brasserie named Montparnasse 1900, reprised its original vocation (and name) in 2019. Two new bouillons have been launched by the Moussié brothers, Pierre and Guillaume: Bouillon Pigalle (opened in 2017 on Boulevard Clichy) and Bouillon République (opened in 2021 in the former home of the venerable brasserie, Chez Jenny).[7]^[8][9]

Popular culture

• The novel A Killer at Sorbonne (
  Sholom Schwartzbard in 1926 which took place at the exit of Bouillon Camille Chartier (i.e. Bouillon Racine).^[10]
• In 1939,
  Chez Chartier in the song "Félicie aussi" by Albert Willemetz
  :

• In Les Beaux Quartiers by Louis Aragon, Chez Chartier is mentioned as the restaurant in which young Edmond Barbentane lunches regularly.
• The setting of the closing scene of La Chose publique by Mathieu Amalric is at Chez Chartier.

See also

• Chez Chartier

Videos

• Chartier restaurant Paris (French)

Books

• Matthieu Flory/Clémentine Forissier: Restaurants, brasseries et bistrots parisiens. Editions Ereme, Paris 2007, pp. 82–85,
  ISBN 9782915337471
• Jean Colson/Marie-Christine Lauroa (Eds.): Dictionnaire des monuments de Paris. Editions Hervas, Paris 2003,
  ISBN 2-84334-001-2