The Bus Paladium reopens with a new restaurant lounge and Nicolas Ullmann's Kararocké Live!]]>Odéon and Mabillon attract a young, studenty crowd to the numerous bars, clubs and pubs, with partying going on late into the night. Check out Chez Georges, a tiny basement where dancing on tables becomes obligatory as the floor space diminishes over the course of the evening.
St-Germain-des-Prés itself has become one of the few Left Bank neighborhoods to attract the Gucci-clad stiletto wearers after dark – it might be a cliché, but a cocktail or two in Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots will be an experience to remember.
]]>A quick walk north-east off Rue de Rivoli will soon bring you to the Marais, still happily gay and busy nearly every night of the week. Open Café is always worth a visit for its lengthy happy hour and relaxed atmosphere. While it does stay busy all night, those wanting to show off their moves would be well advised to head to a nearby club such as Cud, housed in a medieval basement.
The area is certainly not off-limits to straight nighthawks either, but the focus tends to be on bars rather than clubs. The mojitos in Les Etages are always worth trying, and the heated terrace at Le Troisieme Chinon stays open later than most if you want to finish your evening with a spot of late-night people-watching.
]]>Wandering down the hill to Grands Boulevards, you soon discover that the once boring area around Métro Bonne Nouvelle is now populated by some of the city’s best clubs and stylish new restaurants. There’s also an abundance of Irish and Australian bars for those craving an Anglophone fix, a happy hour pint or a bit of dancing on tables. While surprising numbers of French can actually be found in such places, many of the younger Parisians prefer the techno and electro scene at Social Club and Rex.
]]>Heading north and up Rue Oberkampf to Ménilmontant, the crowds get increasingly trendy and Parisian. Hip bars such as Lou Pascalou are ten-a-penny and often feature music and art as well as reasonably priced drinks. Belleville is close by and continues the string of arty hangouts, as well as places like Aux Folies – a little rough around the edges, but plenty of charm and buzzing at night.
The nearby Canal St-Martin is lined with both trees and bohemian-bourgeois bars. Notable highlights include Le Point Ephémère and Le Comptoir Général, where hipsters recline on vintage chairs and sip African-inspired cocktails. Find one of the more scenic dance spots at Rosa Bonheur, a cozy lodge with a view over the gorgeous Buttes Chaumont park during the day and a busy but friendly club on weekend evenings.
]]>Important Note
The minimum legal drinking age in France for beer and wine is 16 years of age, going up to 18 for stronger drinks and spirits. There are no “open container” laws (which is why it’s perfectly okay to open a bottle of wine at the park), but walking around on the streets with a can of beer isn’t exactly the done thing, and police can confiscate your booze if they think you’re being too rowdy.
This nightlife section includes bars and lounges (places to go for a drink, may also be a club or a restaurant), dancing venues (all dance types from disco and techno to swing and salsa) and soirées (or special events that take place periodically). There are five very loose categories to help you pick a bar that fits your mood or lifestyle:
Chic & Glam
Stunning décor, absurdly expensive cocktails, exclusive door policies and an international jet-set of supermodels, rock stars and Saudi princes keeps these establishments in the society pages until the next flavor of the month comes along. Dress your best and give it a go (and have a back-up plan just in case). Most charge €20 for cover, although this usually includes at least one drink.
Elegant & Classic
The French have the Americans to thank for the birth of the cocktail bar, but you’ve got to admit the Parisians have done a fabulous job turning them into elegant and welcoming havens for barflies from around the world. Many of these bars are found in palace hotels or chic neighborhoods. “Casual Friday” to semi-formal attire is appropriate if you want to blend in. And don’t forget the plastic – posh pampering doesn’t come cheap.
Anglo Haunts
Being a cosmopolitan city with a large foreign student population, Paris has a healthy selection of “expat” pubs with English, Scottish, American, Australian, or Irish themes. Most people don’t visit Paris to hang out in an English-speaking bar where Guinness, Budweiser, televised Cricket matches and pub quizzes are main staples. But they can be a relief for travelers too jet-lagged to attempt ordering anything en français, and they’re quite popular with French people looking to practice their English with charming foreigners. International students tend to congregate in these bars, but everyone is welcomed without fuss.
Cool & Casual
For those seeking a watering hole with character, not hype. These bars range from alternative rock bars to lively multicultural haunts, but have in common a mixed, often eclectic clientele of all ages, reasonable prices, no bouncers and certainly no attitude. Many are locals bars, the French equivalent of “Cheers”.
Hip & Trendy
This is where stylish locals try hard to look like they’re not trying to look cool. Think limited edition sneakers under custom-frayed jeans, the latest combination cell phone/camera/MP3 player on a necklace, and artfully mussed-up hair and you get the idea. Scruffy venues like industrial lofts and art squats are popular, but many of the intimate hole-in-the-wall Marais bars also fit into this category. Some serious DJ talent keeps it all real.
Note: Cafés and wine bars are mostly listed in the Dining Reviews section.
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One of the biggest parties of the month is Die Nacht à Bagatelle on June 5 (after Louis XIV's summer festival in the Tuileries on June 5, 1662). There will be shuttles from 9pm-4am from 33bis Ave Pierre Premier de Serbie (bus stop 32) to the Bagatelle gardens. The party starts at 11pm. To get on the list email: lanuit@die-nacht.fr
]]>The Bus Paladium reopens with a new restaurant lounge and Nicolas Ullmann's Kararocké Live!]]>
For those of you who don't get out much, here's a brief rundown of some of the latest changes, noteworthy additions, and general state of the Paris nightlife scene...]]>