Clubs and Bars
Paris Clubs and Bars
“Paris has always been renowned for its great freedom. Anything is allowed: all you need is the address!” said journalist Frédéric Taddei, who for five years has run a program about the city’s nightlife on the cable channel Paris Première.
Sure, when you travel to Paris, you’ll visit the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Concorde and the Invalides, but that’ll be during the day. Make your Paris-by-night experience something different on your next visit, and get a taste of the style that gives Paris its name
Under the twinkle of the Eiffel Tower ‘s 20,000 tiny bulbs, the City of Light continues to cater to the nighthawk’s each and every taste, making it one of the world’s trendiest destinations.
Paris clubs and bars : Techno, house, garage and latino are the popular sounds and, to a lesser extent, hip hop, trip hop and drum&bass. Clubs open at about 23:00 and tend not to close until dawn; it is coolest to arrive around 03:00, or at least after midnight.
As with their counterparts in New York, London or other major cities, appearance matters at these clubs, so look smart, give it a try and hope for a “C’est bon” from the door attendant.
Paris Clubs
• Bains Douches, Les
Les Bains Douches is the institution in Parisian nightlife (designed by Philippe Starck) the designers, models (enjoying their free champagne) and jeunesse d’oree prefer Wednesdays and Sundays and avoid Fridays and Saturdays, gay nights on Mondays, Jean-Paul Gaultier likes to come, booking a restaurant table is the easy way to get in;
Tel: +33-1-4887 0180; 7 rue du Bourg-l’Abbe; 75003 Paris 3e ; Metro: Etienne Marcel / Reamur-Sebastopol
Open: Mon-Sun 11.30pm-6am
• VIP Room
Jean Roch’s VIP Room is one of the few exclusive Paris clubs and bars with a dance floor, lounge, VIP terrace and red velvet separees, where the VIPs are still safe, guests included Richard Branson, Pierce Brosnam, Garry Halliwell and Robbie Williams;
Tel: +33-1-5669 1666; Fax: +33-1-5669 1669; 76-78 avenue des Champs-Elysees; 75008 Paris 8e; Metro: George V;
Open: Tue-Sun 11.30-6am;
• Neo ( Hip Hop Club)
21 Rue Montorgueil, Paris, 75001 +33 (0) 1 42 33 39 33
• Bash ( Flash and glitter)
67 rue Pierre-Charron, Paris, 75008 +33 1 45 62 95 70
• Rex Club ( house-techno)
5 Boulevard Poissonni, Paris, 75002 +33 1 42 36 10 96
• La Scala ( Disco)
188 bis rue de Rivoli, Paris, 75001 +33 1 42 61 64 00
• Etoiles ( Salsa)
61 rue du Chateau-d’Eau, Paris, 75010 33 1 47 70 60 56
• Locomotive
Multiple floors for dancing and clubbing
90 Boulevard de Clichy, Paris, France, 75018 +33 (0) 1 53 41 88 88
Generally, the dress code at La Loco is casual, but sneakers and baggy pants may be pushing the limits. The entrance price depends on the day of the week and on the occasion, but is $23 on Saturdays. Because of its location, La Loco is best for foreign visitors in their late teens and early twenties.
• Slow Club Jazz
130 rue de Rivoli, Paris, 75001
+33 1 42 33 84 30
• The Latina Cafe, about halfway down the Champs-Elysees (No. 114), is worth a visit. It ‘s a restaurant-bar-club fashioned in a Latin American style. Its discotheque opens at 11:30 p.m., so be ready for a late night.
• Right across from the Arc de Triomphe in the 16th Arrondissement, you can head to Le Duplex (2 bis Avenue Foch), chic club.
Paris Bars
Le Zuni
Bar & Pub
2, rue du Sabot 75006 Paris
Tel: 01 42 84 02 83
La Rhumerie
Bar & Pub
166 Bld Saint-Germain 75006 Paris
Tel: 01 43 54 28 94
Bar du Plaza
Bar & Pub
Hotel Plaza Athénée 75008 Paris
Tel: 01 53 67 66 00
Montecristo
Bar & Pub
68, Champs-Elysees 75008 Paris
Tel: 01 45 62 30 86
Village Saint Germain
Bar & Pub
12 rue Princesse 75006 Paris
Tel: 06 03 33 91 19
Elysees Berry Pub
Bar & Pub
2 rue de Berry 75008 Paris
Tel: 01.43.59.12.65
Buddah Bar
Bar & Pub
8 rue Boissy d’Anglas 75008 Paris
Tel: 01 53 05 90 00
Chesterfield Cafe
Bar & Pub
124, rue De La Boetie 75008 Paris
Tel: 01 42 25 18 0
Le Barfly
Bar & Pub
49, av George V 75008 Paris
Le Doobies
Bar & Pub
2, rue Robert Etienne 75008 Paris
Tel: 01 53 76 10 76
Pershing Hall
Bar & Pub
49 rue Pierre Charon 75008 Paris
Tel: 01 58 36 58 00
Poona Lounge
Bar & Pub
25 rue Marbeuf 75008 Paris
Tel: 01 40 70 09 99
Top DJs play house tunes at Paris Clubs and Bars
• Le Divan du Monde, located in Pigalle at 75 rue des Martyrs, 18th, once hosted Toulouse Lautrec but now draws a crowd that changes radically according to the evening’s program – Brazilian, tango, indie, rock, house and hip hop nights alternate with top French and international DJs.
• Le Saint, 7 rue St-Séverin, 5th, which plays disco, house and salsa, is inexpensive and relaxed.
• At the other extreme is Les Bains, 7 rue du Bourg-l’Abbé, 3rd, a former Turkish bathhouse transformed into the most pretentious of Paris clubs and bars.
Paris clubs and Bars: regulations!
The minimum age for getting into most Paris clubs and bars is 18, but it varies. Some places will even let in 16 -year-olds, while others won’t admit those still in their late teens. So much depends on appearances. If age turns into a problem, you may just want to head to the second choice on your list.
If you intend to travel o Paris, take it serious. Despite the fun awaiting you during a night on the town, you should know something about drinking in France. The legal age for drinking wine and beer is 16, while 18 -year-olds can order harder drinks. So be sure to use plenty of caution and discretion.
What place to choose?
If you prefer lively pedestrian streets, good food and cultural diversity, consider the Latin Quarter, home of the famed Sorbonne University. The streets around the Boulevard Saint-Michel all the way up to the Pantheon, contain plenty of places to have dinner, a drink or simply a good time. Here you can encounter swarms of students and other people having fun throughout the evening.
If you want to experience Paris surrounded by real Parisians, try the area around Bastille, on the Nos. 1, 5 and 8 Metro lines. The Barrio Latino bar-restaurant at 46-48 Rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine is a favorite spot for young people.
If this is your first night out in a city of Paris ‘ scale and you are not looking for surprises, stick to calm areas like the 8th or 16th arrondissments. Lots of clubs have differing themes, music styles and cover charges, depending on the day of the week.
Some of the most Paris chic clubs can be found on or around the Champs-Elysees.