SubscribeLe Sphinx
The Sphinx was a luxury brothel or maison close with a magnificent Art Deco bar, extravagantly themed rooms and cabaret entertainment. The building was designed by Henri Sauvage and the interior featured chrome, Egyptian motifs and air-conditioning (a great novelty at the time). The Sphinx opened with much fanfare and invitations were sent out to all the notables in Montparnasse. Men were encouraged to bring along their wives or girlfriends. Upon entering, visitors were greeted with the site of nude women casually mingling with the patrons at the bar.
As he recounted in Tropic of Cancer, Miller earned a few francs by writing promotional brochures for the Sphinx and received a commission for every new customer he brought in:
When the big new whorehouse opened up on the Boulevard Edgar-Quinet, I got a little rake-off, for writing the pamphlets. That is to say, a bottle of champagne and a free fuck in one of the Egyptian rooms. If I succeeded in bringing a client I was to get my commission
Miller would later bring Lawrence Durrell to the Sphinx to spectate.
In a 1956 interview with Ben Grauer, Miller recalled his role in inaugurating the Sphinx. Click here to download an excerpt of that interview (MP3).
The Sphinx which, at its opening, was the only brothel on the Left bank, is no longer present at 31 boulevard Edgar Quinet. In 1946, France outlawed brothels and the building has since been replaced.
Location
31 boulevard Edgar Quinet – See it on Google Maps
Next Stop
Turn around and walk back up the boulevard Edgar Quinet toward the metro station where we began. When you get there, follow the street that angles off to your left. This is the rue Delambre … 
