“It’s quite moving, I don’t know what to say. It’s impressive the esthete father side, all the objects, you can’t imagine someone living there. » Julien has difficulty finding the words. The thirty-year-old and fan of Serge Gainsbourg since his adolescence has just left the Gainsbourg House and Museum which opened their doors to the public on rue de Verneuil, in Paris. Julien was able to discover the home of the author of I love you neitherin sound immersion, guided by the voice of Charlotte recounting her childhood memories from the 1970s until the death of her father in 1991.
“We almost have the impression of disturbing”
Thirty-two years after the singer’s death, fans can now wander through the six rooms of Serge’s dark and bohemian lair, in front of which they crowded this Wednesday. Among them, Edouard. His visit had “a Proust madeleine feel”: “There are elements of my youth that I find again, the box of Smarties, a Canal Plus decoder, it brought back memories of my own youth, the visit, It’s a bit like therapy. » A real journey through time for Edouard, born in 1984, who also loved entering “into the intimacy” of Serge Gainsbourg: “in fact, we almost have the impression of disturbing him. »
Maison Gainsbourg presents two distinct sites on rue de Verneuil in Paris (7th): the historic house of Serge Gainsbourg at 5 bis and a museum retracing the life and career of the artist at number 14. 20 minutes was there on September 13 for a privileged first look before opening to the public. We discovered two routes: “House and museum” (25 euros entry) and “Museum only” (12 euros).
This Wednesday, Sébastien was leaving the museum with his wife, when 20 minutes came to meet him. The two Gainsbourg fans took the “House and Museum” route: “A universe that immediately appeals because it combines the intimacy of the family sphere and that of work and inspiration. » So, what was it like at Serge’s? “We emerge a little vulnerable and fallible, because we are struck by the power of the place and the power of Charlotte Gainsbourg’s words. It’s a very strong mise en abyme,” summarizes the thirty-year-old, impressed. “I find that the museum is a real extension, it works very well,” concludes Sébastien.
The visit to the museum lasts approximately one hour. Fans of the singer have the opportunity to discover objects retracing the artistic career of Serge Gainsbourg. “It’s very rich too, it’s more about everything that concerns an artistic career, about music, cinema, the evolution, the influences of Gainsbourg,” explains Nathalie.
The permanent tour offers a dive into the world of Gainsbourg in eight chronological chapters. Bringing together nearly 450 original objects: manuscripts, emblematic works and objects or even clothing and jewelry that belonged to the singer. “There are very few people so it’s very pleasant, you don’t feel like you’re in a museum at all. It’s practically an individual experience, it’s very, very nice,” concludes Nathalie, definitely won over.
Boutique bookstore and Gainsbarre
It is true that the visit to the House and the museum is done in small groups, so we find ourselves alone (or almost) during this immersion in the 1980s. And at the end of this intense visit, 20 minutes encountered many emotional visitors. Some, at the bookstore or at the Gainsbarre (cafe during the day transforming into a piano bar in the evening), politely refused to comment on the moment, “not knowing how to find the words”.
Note that in terms of visits, it is full until the end of the year for the “House and Museum” duo. Fans will therefore have to wait until next year to visit Serge Gainsbourg’s lair. Places are still available to visit the museum.