Behind the unassuming door of 5 bis Rue de Verneuil lies the former Parisian pied-à-terre of legendary musician Serge Gainsbourg. Filled with mystery and intrigue, Gainsbourg himself once described the space as a combination of a studio, museum, salon, and brothel. The compact interior of the house is packed with memorabilia, surrounded by black-felt walls that intensify the intimate atmosphere. Each element has been painstakingly preserved exactly as it was on the day Gainsbourg passed away in 1991.
Gainsbourg’s daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, who was 19 at the time of his death, explains, “It was almost an obsession to preserve and maintain everything as it was. When my father passed away, I experienced his mourning deeply. I made the decision to have him embalmed, although it may not have been the healthiest choice. However, it allowed me a few more days with him. Every item associated with him became sacred, even a pack of Gitanes cigarettes or a scrap of paper with his scribbles. It was my way of pretending he hadn’t left; of preserving things. When I look at his house today, frozen in time, I feel as though he’s still there.”
Within the wardrobe, Gainsbourg’s iconic white leather Zizi Oxfords, the signature shoe of Repetto, bear the marks of his toes. The kitchen shelves are filled with hot sauces, Angostura bitters, and Worcestershire sauce. On the bedside table, alongside the low bed covered in black mink, a mirrored wall adorned with flower-patterned cabochons, and a nude painting by Jeanloup Sieff, one can find a pack of Smarties, Stimorol gum, and aniseed-flavored candies.
Next week, Charlotte will open the house to the public as part of Maison Gainsbourg, the first cultural institution dedicated to the artist. This property, which once concealed all of Gainsbourg’s personal tastes and fetishes, is now open for all to see. According to Charlotte, it serves as a gateway for understanding his legacy, stating, “I want it to be an experience – a powerful moment, like watching a movie. My father has already shared what he wants us to know about him, so I hope this house will evoke the emotion of knowing where he lived.”
Supported by Saint Laurent and its creative director, Anthony Vaccarello, Maison Gainsbourg also includes a second entity located on Rue de Verneuil. While 5 bis provides insight into the artist’s private life, Musée Gainsbourg at number 14 offers a more formal arrangement, showcasing over 450 photographs, objects, manuscripts, clothing, press cuttings, and records that tell the tale of Gainsbourg’s artistic career.
Serge Gainsbourg is remembered by his fans as not only the greatest French musician of the 20th century but also as a pop culture icon. However, he also drew criticism for his provocative and crude nature. With 16 studio albums, including numerous gold and platinum records, Gainsbourg’s music left a lasting impact. Controversial tracks like “Je t’aime… moi non plus,” featuring Jane Birkin’s orgasmic moans, sold over a million copies. He even recorded the duet “Lemon Incest,” with his daughter Charlotte at just 13 years old. Gainsbourg’s unique style of intermingling languages, sharp sentences, and dual-meaning words established him as one of France’s modern poets. Additionally, he dabbled in painting and filmmaking during the 1970s, further adding to his artistic legacy.
According to Charlotte, her father’s great contradictions were what made him charming. Speaking in French, she explains, “The contradiction between beauty and ugliness, which he was always self-conscious about. The contradiction between his extremely rude and funny side and his infinitely shy side. I don’t see this in anyone else. That’s what I see in his style too. He had a grace in his gestures that I still vividly remember.”
All of these aspects come to life within the walls of 5 bis. The living room showcases a bronze cast of Jane Birkin’s bust, alongside countless monkey figures (some concealing hidden bottles of whiskey and cognac) and a collection of playful and irreverent police medals. Gainsbourg’s study, complete with a 19th-century dentist’s chair, reveals his taste for 19th-century authors like Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe. Notable books include works related to surrealism, novels with a single character like Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” and Joris-Karl Huysmans’ “Against Nature.” The corridors feature controversial photographs of Marilyn Monroe, including one taken at the LA County Morgue, as well as press clippings documenting the scandal surrounding Gainsbourg’s reggae rendition of the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise.” Larger-than-life portraits of his former girlfriend, Brigitte Bardot, serve as ironic homages to the concept of the flawless blonde.
The bedroom, a realm previously known only to Gainsbourg’s wives, children, and his romantic interests, exudes eroticism and unapologetic glamour. A baroque mermaid bench, possibly from a brothel or theater, adds to the ambiance, while a spindly Takis sculpture called “Signal lumineux” casts soft light throughout the room.
Unsurprisingly, Charlotte initially had reservations about opening the bedroom to the public. Our conversation takes place shortly after the recent passing of her mother, Jane Birkin, and her grief is still raw. While acknowledging the intimate nature of the space, she hopes that visitors will be pleasantly surprised and experience the magic within the house. She does not view it as voyeuristic and believes it wouldn’t make sense to keep any part of the house a secret.
Charlotte’s mother, Jane Birkin, who was the subject of her daughter’s 2021 documentary “Jane by Charlotte,” was supportive of the project. Despite understanding the complexity of setting up the museum, she did not actively participate. Charlotte recalls, “Every time I suggested she be involved, such as creating an audio tour of the house (which I eventually narrated), she seemed resistant. Towards the end of her life, it was too much effort for her to visit the house. I shared photos of the progress with her, and she provided comments and suggestions, but she chose not to confront it. The house represented a world too distant from her and did not necessarily offer her comfort.”
Musée Gainsbourg, designed by Jacques Garcia, replicates the interior aesthetic of Gainsbourg’s home, from the felt walls to the checkerboard Venetian floor tiles. The basement, evoking the atmosphere of dark jazz bars in Saint-Germain, will host temporary exhibitions. The premiere exhibition will be titled “Je t’aime… moi non plus.” Anatole Maggiar, co-curator of the institution, explains, “We aimed to create a space that felt like an extension of 5 bis while authentically presenting Gainsbourg’s life and work.”
The museum features notable pieces such as handwritten lyrics for “La Javanaise,” which Gainsbourg penned
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