Paris Nightlife

Put on your dancing shoes…

L’Attirail
9, rue au Maire, in the 3rd Arrondissement. 01 42 72 44 42. A very bohemian, chic place to see a show. Jazz, blues or folk concerts every night at 8:30. You can enjoy Algerian food (think couscous) here, too.

Le Baron
6, ave Marceau, in the 8th. 01 47 20 04 01. This former brothel is now one of the coolest and fanciest nightspots in the city. The door policy is stringent (come dressed well!), and the tables inside are mainly reserved for VIPs, but the show (live band or DJ) starts at 11, and you can dance the night away here with style.

Bateau Concorde Atlantique
23, quai Anatole-France, in the 7th. 06 61 36 16 06. Two-level club on a boat. Great in the summer.

Batofar
11, quai François Mauriac, in the 13th. 01 53 60 17 30. Another club on a boat—can be a load of fun in the summer. This is a funky, very late-night place (think 2 or 3 a.m.) with DJs, but occasionally live bands appear in this small fun spot.

Cabaret CAB
2, place du Palais Royal, in the 1st. 01 58 62 56 25. A beautiful club with a number of bars and several rooms. On Fridays ’80s night is popular.

Dame de Canton
Near the Pont de la Gare, in the 13th. 01 53 61 08 48. A pirate ship with excellent music and dancing on weekends.

Le Divan du Monde
75, rue des Martyrs, in the 18th. 01 40 05 06 99. This is a club, a concert venue and an art gallery with cool decor and interesting acts several times a week. Check the website for times.

La Flèche d’Or
102, bis rue de Bagnolet, in the 20th, near Mama Shelter. 01 44 64 01 02. More of an indie-rock place with concerts every night at 8. Clubbing starts at 11:30. With its funky decor and free entry, this place is a good bet. You can start the night with a drink across the way at Mama Shelter, interior compliments of designer Philippe Starck.

Le Folie’s Pigalle
11, Place Pigalle, in the 9th. 01 48 78 55 25. Down the road in Pigalle (fret not, it’s cleaning up), this club holds everything from dancehall to hip-hop, from electro, techno and gay tea dances to fashion shows, strippers and go-go dancers (not all at once!), so there should be something to strike your fancy. Admission includes a free drink. Open till dawn during the week, noon on weekends.

La Fourmi
74, rue des Martyrs, in the 18th. 01 42 64 70 35. This music bar is popular with locals and tripists in the know. On the weekends the bar is packed and it’s possible to stay till the wee hours if you like. It’s also fun as a place to start off the night: drop in, have a drink and peruse their event flyers for tips on what’s happening elsewhere, after hours.

Le Gibus
18, rue du Faubourg du Temple, in the 11th. 01 47 00 78 88. A big punk venue in the ’80s, now serving up reggae, ’80s and hip-hop.

Glazart
7–15, ave de la Porte de la Villette, in the 19th. 01 40 36 55 65. Near the outskirts of Paris. But this can be a fabulous place, especially in the summer, when they turn the parking lot into a funky disco beach. A diverse mix of people with a range of music, from reggae to techno, and an eclectic yet homey interior.

Lizard Lounge
18, rue du Bourg-Tibourg, in the 4th. 01 42 72 81 34. Spread over three levels, Lizard Lounge is another good warm-up/stay-on venue, depending on your mood. The bar is a hip Marais hangout, while local DJs man the decks with a good mix of styles for the small booths downstairs.

Nouveau Casino
109, rue Oberkampf, in the 11th. 01 43 57 57 40. Owned by the folks from Café Charbon, which is the place that started the whole Oberkampf bar scene. This location is ideal if you’ve begun your night with dinner and drinks in the 11th and want to continue without a cab ride. Music some nights, DJs other nights. Check the website.

Le Paris Paris
5, ave de l’Opéra, in the 9th. 01 42 60 64 65. Indie rock (but mostly DJs) for the “in” crowd. This place gets going a bit earlier for those girls who need their beauty sleep—expect a real party by midnight.

Le Petit Bain
7, Port de la Gare, in the 13th. 01 43 49 67 12. On a barge in the Seine. There’s a restaurant, a concert venue and an after-hours club. TRÈS kool.

Point Ephémère
200, quai de Valmy, in the 10th. 01 40 34 02 48. For the artsy crowd. Everything happens here, from ballet to punk. Très kool.

Social Club
142, rue Montmartre, in the 2nd.
01 40 28 05 55. Social Club (formerly Le Triptyque) is still one of the hippest clubs in town. The owners are serious musicians who host the most famous DJs playing everything from house to hip-hop in an intimate setting.

Wagg
62, rue Mazarine, in the 6th. 01 55 42 22 01. We like Wagg for its Friday funk night. This place is below Terence Conran’s restaurant Alcazar, and hence they actually know how to mix proper cocktails. When we were there you had to buy a bottle of, say, vodka in order to get a table.
Please also consult our sections on music and bars and dancing.