4 March

Pierre

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 Ducal Palace in Nantes [Public Domain]

The Ducal Palace in Nantes [Public Domain]

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).

Cardinal de Retz

The Cardinal de Retz

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.

Nantes © Jibi44 - licence [CC BY 2.5] from Wikimedia Commons

Nantes © Jibi44 - licence [CC BY 2.5] from Wikimedia Commons

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.

Jean-Baptiste Carrier

Jean-Baptiste Carrier during his trial

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.

Couplet 1

Dans les prisons de Nantes

Lui y-a-t-un prisonnier

Personne ne le va le voir
Que la fille du geôlier

Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure


Couplet 2

Elle lui apporte à boire

A boire et à manger

Et des chemises blanches

Quand il en veut changer

Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure


Couplet 3

Un jour elle va le voir

Elle s'est mise à pleurer

Le bruit court par la ville

Que demain vous mourrez

Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure


Couplet 4

Ah s'il faut que je meurs

Déliez-moi les pieds

La fille était jeunette

Les pieds lui a déliés

Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure


Couplet 5

Le galant fut alerte

Dans la Loire a sauté

Quand il fut sur la grève

Il se mit à chanter

Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure


Couplet 6

Je chante pour les belles
Surtout celle du geôlier
Si je reviens à Nantes
Oui je l’épouserai

Gai luron luron lurette
Gai luron luron lure

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

Download the Lyrics for FREE!

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Dans les prisons de Nantes © French Moments

Other versions of Dans les prisons de Nantes

French Nursery Rhymes

My challenge for the year 2023 is to publish 80 French Nursery Rhymes lyrics and descriptions (list below). Come back as time goes by to discover the new articles:

French Nursery Rhymes Cover by French Moments
French Nursery Rhymes
A la claire fontaine © French Moments
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Chevaliers de la table ronde © French Moments
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Dame Tartine © French Moments
Dans les prisons de Nantes © French Moments
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About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of the Discovery Course on the Secrets of the Eiffel Tower and the Christmas book "Voyage au Pays de Noël".

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