You have to venture a bit away from Montmartre’s most popular spots to stumble upon it. At 112 Rue Championnet, La Renaissance still looks like what you’d imagine a Parisian bistro from another era to be: red bench seats, mirrors weathered by time, mosaic flooring, floral stained-glass windows, and a massive bar counter running the length of the room. The place opened in 1904, and much of its original decor has stood the test of time.
This is also what has earned it a rather unexpected second life: as a movie set. More than twenty film shoots are said to have taken place within its walls, featuring directors such as Claude Chabrol, Claude Zidi, and Quentin Tarantino. *Les Ripoux* was filmed there, as was a scene from *Inglourious Basterds*, featuring Mélanie Laurent and Daniel Brühl. Tarantino was already familiar with the bistro, having spotted it in Chabrol’s *Le Sang des autres*.
A Parisian bistro that has remained almost entirely unchanged
What makes La Renaissance so charming, above all, is that the place hasn’t been entirely restored to look like a period set. The ceiling has retained its patina, the mirrors bear the marks of time, and the stained-glass windows still filter the light just as they did decades ago. In fact, the City of Paris lists it among the bistros where you can still experience the atmosphere of early 20th-century Paris.
However, people still come here to eat, not just to look at the walls. The cuisine remains very bistro-style, with a short, homemade menu: hand-chopped beef tartare, entrecôte, pork ribs, a house-made burger, and a few more seasonal dishes. Prices are in line with the average for a Parisian bistro, with most main courses around twenty euros.
Another detail that contributes to its identity: La Renaissance closes late. You can have lunch, dinner, or simply enjoy a drink there until late in the evening—a tradition quite faithful to the history of these neighborhood bistros that stayed open from morning until the last customer left.
Even today, the spot remains primarily a neighborhood bistro in the Jules Joffrin district. That’s probably what keeps it from becoming just a static movie set behind a display window.
Location: Bistrot La Renaissance, 112 rue Championnet, 75018 Paris