La Boule Noire

La Boule Noire began its life in eighteen twenty-two as a simple goguette, a gathering place for singing and drinking societies in what was then the separate village of Montmartre. It was founded by a woman known by the nickname Belle-en-Cuisse. The venue earned its unusual name from a glass sphere that hung above the entrance as a sign. This sphere was originally white, but over time, accumulated grime and soot from the dark, unlit streets of the era turned it permanently black. That accidental transformation gave the establishment the name it carries to this day.