Dans les prisons de Nantes

Dans les prisons de Nantes is a traditional French song from the region of Nantes dating from the 17th century.

The story of the song

Dans les prisons de Nantes is a song presenting a story between a prisoner and the daughter of the jailer who helps him to escape from a prison in Nantes.

The escape of the Cardinal of Retz

It would be inspired by the escape of the Jean-François Paul de Gondi, in 1654. Placed under house arrest in the castle of Nantes by Mazarin, the Cardinal of Retz escaped thanks to a rope hidden under his simarre (a type of ecclestiastical vestment).

Many versions

Since then, the song Dans les prisons de Nantes has been found throughout the French-speaking world thanks to the sailors who travelled up the Loire or the exiles who arrived in New France.

It then acquires, according to the places, many variants: sometimes the Loire becomes the sea and, for the Quebecois, the prisons of Nantes become the prisons of London.

The prisons of Nantes

The prisons of Nantes were numerous under the Ancien Régime and especially during the Revolution.

The most terrible one was the Prison de l'Entrepôt des cafés located near the port of Nantes. Created during the Revolution by Jean-Baptiste Carrier, one of the main actors of the Terror, it saw thousands of people die in inhuman conditions.

Dans les prisons de Nantes

Lyrics, music, free download... let's learn more about the popular song:

The lyrics in French

They are several versions of the song. Here is a popular one with 6 verses.

Translation of the lyrics into English

Here is an approximative translation into English:

Verse 1

In the prisons of Nantes
There is a prisoner
Nobody goes to see him
Only the daughter of the jailer
Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure

Verse 2

She brings to him to drink
To drink and to eat
And white shirts
When he wants to change
Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure

Verse 3

One day she goes to see him
She started to cry
The rumor goes around town
That tomorrow you will die
Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure

Verse 4

Ah if I have to die
Untie my feet
The girl was young
His feet she untied
Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure

Verse 5

The gallant was alert
In the Loire jumped
When he was on the shore
He began to sing
Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure

Verse 6

I sing for the beautiful
Especially that of the jailer
If I come back to Nantes
Yes I will marry her
Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure

Other versions of Dans les prisons de Nantes