A little restaurant with "history"

It’s not in my habits to recommend apartments, hotels, restaurants… , but this one is so much linked to the Montmartre “history” that I think it’s worth a special mentioning.

This little restaurant, 42 rue Lepic, Montmartre, has been there since 1909 and the interior decoration has hardly changed since. The eating is also very traditional – and served in generous portions.

The restaurant has always been run by the same family, now in a mixture of fourth and fifth generations.

So, as said, it’s very much related to the Montmartre myth. At the beginning, the restaurant was called “Chez Arthur”, after the name of the owner. Four years later, in 1913, the name was changed to “A la Pomponnette “, a name actually linked to a heavy wine drinking “test” – Pomponnette refers to a drinking glass without a foot, which may decrease the risk of reversing. In addition to the owner, at least two prominent Montmartre profiles participated, the painter Gen Paul and Poulbot. I have already posted on Francisque Poulbot, e.g. here and here.

Furthermore, it was during a dinner here in 1920 where Poulbot again participated that it was decided – of course for fun - to establish the “République de Montmartre”... which later among other things led to the creation of the Montmartre vineyard and its annual great festivities to celebrate the year’s harvest (see previous posts here and here about the “Clos de Montmartre”).

In 1923, Poulbot suggested, and Arthur agreed, to sacrifice the hen-roost behind the restaurant and instead create a free of charge dispensary for kids, for the "poulbots".

The walls are covered by paintings and drawings by different local artists, including Poulbot and Gen Paul,  and a lot of old photos. Actually, even the walls themselves are covered by Poulbot drawings, but you can hardly distinguish them today after about a century of smoke from food, cigarettes, cigars… 

One of the permanent occupants is “Ponette”, who this cold day had found a perfect place.