The History of Escorts in Paris: From Royal Courts to Modern Times

Paris has always been a city of allure, where desire and discretion walked hand in hand. The presence of escorts in Paris isn’t a modern phenomenon-it’s woven into the city’s fabric since the 16th century. What started as courtly companionship evolved into a complex, often hidden, ecosystem that mirrored social change, economic need, and shifting moral codes. This isn’t about sensationalism. It’s about understanding how Paris became the city where intimacy and independence collided in ways that still echo today.

When Nobles Had Companions, Not Clients

In the 1500s, Parisian aristocrats didn’t hire escorts-they kept mistresses. These women weren’t just sexual partners; they were cultural influencers, salon hosts, and political advisors. Madame de Pompadour, the official mistress of King Louis XV, didn’t just share his bed-she shaped art, fashion, and even foreign policy. Her influence was so powerful that her name became synonymous with a style of decorative art still studied today.

These relationships were public, tolerated, and often formalized. Mistresses received pensions, titles, and estates. Their children were sometimes legitimized. This wasn’t transactional sex-it was a structured part of elite life. But beneath the gilded surface, a parallel world existed: women outside the nobility who offered similar services for money, not privilege.

The Rise of the Courtesan Economy

By the 18th century, Paris had turned courtesans into a kind of celebrity class. Women like Juliette Récamier and La Maupin moved between salons and brothels, known for their wit, beauty, and ability to navigate high society. They didn’t just sell sex-they sold access. A night with a famous courtesan could mean an invitation to a duke’s dinner, a recommendation for a painter, or a connection to a publisher.

These women often ran their own businesses. They rented apartments in the best neighborhoods, hired servants, and kept ledgers. Some even published memoirs. La Maupin, a cross-dressing courtesan and opera singer, wrote about her life in a way that challenged gender norms long before feminism had a name. Their success was built on intelligence as much as looks. A courtesan who couldn’t hold a conversation was quickly forgotten.

Napoleon, Prostitution Laws, and the Birth of Regulation

In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte changed everything. Fearing the spread of venereal disease among soldiers and wanting to control public morality, he introduced the first legal framework for prostitution in Paris. Brothels, called maisons de tolérance, were officially registered and inspected. Women had to undergo weekly medical exams. They wore numbered badges and were forbidden from walking the streets.

These brothels weren’t hidden-they were landmarks. The most famous, La Maison de Rire in the 9th arrondissement, had velvet curtains, chandeliers, and a piano. Clients included bankers, artists, and even foreign diplomats. The system lasted nearly 150 years. It wasn’t about morality-it was about control. The state didn’t ban prostitution; it packaged it.

But regulation didn’t eliminate street work. Women who couldn’t afford the fees to join a licensed house, or who refused the rules, worked in shadows. They were arrested, fined, and often imprisoned. Their lives were harder, their risks greater. The system created two classes of women: the tolerated and the invisible.

The Fall of the Brothels and the Rise of Discretion

In 1946, France’s postwar government, led by feminist politician Marthe Richard, shut down all legal brothels. The law was framed as liberation-freeing women from exploitation. But for many, it meant losing a degree of safety. Without regulated spaces, women were pushed into the streets, vulnerable to violence and police harassment.

Paris didn’t lose its escort culture-it went underground. Women began working through word-of-mouth networks, phone lines, and later, early internet forums. The clients changed too. No longer just wealthy men, they included artists, students, and professionals seeking companionship more than sex. The demand for discretion grew. A quiet apartment in Le Marais, a late-night drink at a private bar, a weekend getaway to the countryside-these became the new norms.

Modern Escorts in Paris: Service, Not Stigma

Today, escorts in Paris operate in a gray zone. It’s legal to sell companionship, but not to profit from someone else’s sex work. That legal loophole lets agencies exist under the guise of “dating services” or “event companions.” Many women now use apps and encrypted messaging to screen clients, set boundaries, and avoid danger.

The women working today aren’t just fulfilling fantasies-they’re managing careers. Some have degrees in literature or design. Others are multilingual, travel frequently, and build long-term relationships with repeat clients. The stereotype of the desperate woman has faded. In its place is a profile of autonomy: women who choose this work because it offers flexibility, income, and control over their time.

High-end escorts in Paris now charge €500 to €1,500 per hour. They’re booked months in advance for events like the Cannes Film Festival, fashion weeks, and corporate galas. Their clients expect more than physical presence-they want conversation, cultural insight, and emotional intelligence. One escort I spoke with, who works under a pseudonym, said: “I don’t just show up. I study the client’s interests. If they’re into contemporary art, I read the latest reviews. If they’re from Japan, I learn about their customs. This isn’t about sex. It’s about making someone feel understood.”

Paris Still Whispers, But No Longer Screams

The history of escorts in Paris isn’t a tale of degradation. It’s a story of adaptation. From royal mistresses to modern professionals, women have used intimacy as a tool for survival, influence, and independence. The city never stopped needing them-it just stopped calling them by the same name.

Today, you won’t find red lamps or brothel signs. But if you walk through Saint-Germain-des-Prés at dusk, or sit quietly at a café in Montmartre, you might notice the woman who always arrives alone, orders a single espresso, and leaves before the sun sets. She might be an escort. She might be a writer. Or maybe she’s just living her life, quietly, on her own terms.

Paris has always been a city of masks. The history of its escorts is just another layer of its endless, unspoken story.