‘Montmartre was dead’: how Paris district has been revived by music

Paris’s 18th arrondissement is now home to many record labels, electronic musicians and radio stations. Photograph: Peter Cavanagh/Alamy

Quentin Lepoutre takes a seat outside at seafood brasserie La Mascotte. As the moustachioed producer, otherwise known as Myd, looks up, he notices he isn’t dining alone. On his right is triple-platinum selling French singer-songwriter Renaud – and on his left is Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of electronic music duo Daft Punk, eating oysters.

“On this terrace there are maybe four tables, and there were three generations of musicians,” Myd laughs. “Classic 18th life.”