Born at the end of the XIXth century, the tango spread throughout many countries. From Japan to Canada, not forgetting Europe which helped it win acclaim, the lingering fire of the tango never dies thanks the mythical setting in which it appeared. An entire urban imagination, that of the porteños, is conveyed through its songs of grieved loss, exile and voyage. In its contemporary revival, the danced tango fanned the flame of a century of history made of transcontinental trips while in Buenos Aires, the opposition between the posh downtown confiterias and the suburban working class dance halls remains. Le tango pourvoyeur de souvenirs, nous forge un passé presque vrai.