Transforming Pigalle: the gentrified evolution of the Paris red-light district

Allison Blythe Strickland and Maria Gravari-Barbas

Chapter 22 in Handbook on Tourism Gentrification, 2025, pp 401-424 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This paper examines the transformation of Paris's Pigalle neighbourhood, analysing how processes of tourist gentrification are reshaping this former red-light district (RLD). Through qualitative research conducted between 2021 and 2024, including interviews with residents, business owners and city officials, this study investigates the triangulation between heritagisation, touristification and gentrification in Pigalle. The research reveals a rapid reimagining of the district where market-driven development strategies have created a paradox: while infrastructure improvements and economic growth have enhanced the area's appeal, they have simultaneously led to the displacement of long-term residents and businesses. The study demonstrates how Pigalle's "risqué" past is being selectively preserved and marketed to create spaces catering to a wealthier (and in certain cases more global) demographic, often at the expense of local community bonds. Pigalle's transformation offers crucial insights for policymakers and scholars grappling with similar challenges in managing heritage districts under pressures such as tourism and gentrification.

Keywords: Gentrification; Touristification; Urban heritage; Red-light district; Pigalle (Paris); Neighbourhood transformation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035327348
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