Night Clubs in France

The club scene in Paris is now somewhat under siege as government legislation on noise levels slightly hampers establishments’ modus operandi. The city council is waging war on noise pollution and while this suits those with neighbors who possess large stereos, it’s bad news for people who like to dance till dawn. They carry on regardless, albeit with fewer decibels, and you will still find every type of sound (and a great deal of creativity) on the club scene. There are clubs to suit every taste and it’s worth noting that bouncers often treat foreign would-be entrants preferentially, so be sure to stand proud, ditch the attempts at French and speak English when you get near the door. The English website www.gogoparis.com reviews some of the capital’s trendiest establishments. Alternatively, read the posters at the Bastille metro station or listen to Radio NOVA 101.5 FM, which gives details of the night’s best raves. Flyers advertising what’s on at which clubs can be found on café, bar, and shop counters. Popular night time options for the more mature set include ballroom dancing and visits to suave piano bars. If you’re wondering about what to wear, the smart side of the smart-casual approach is usually the safest bet. Attire for nightclubs varies; for upscale venues be sure to put your designer-labeled best foot forward, while more relaxed ones will accept an urban look, but generally, tracksuits, jeans, and sneakers are definite no-nos.

MAINSTREAM

A vast yet convivial venue, Le Bataclan is a showcase for current bands. After the show on Saturday nights, it becomes one of the best nightclubs in Paris, legendary for its varied mouth-watering choice of funk, soul, and new jack swing.

Barrio Latino occupies three floors of a building designed by Gustav Eiffel. It combines Latin music with great cocktails and tapas served from trolleys by roaming staff. Dancers can perfect their moves at the Sunday salsa classes. The expensive Le Baron attracts a select crowd, and plays host to ultra-fashionable party producers. Linked to the Alcazar, which is a fashionable Terence Conran bar and restaurant very popular with a pre-club crowd, WAGG just next door is a wonderful spot for some uninhibited dancing. WAGG is unpretentious although the door staff are discriminating, and the disco and soul played in the stone cellars make for a great night out.

Les Bains-Douches, a former Turkish bath, may have lost some of its glitterati appeal but it is still a place to go to see and be seen. Its upstairs restaurant, now serving Thai food, is a popular place for private dinner parties. This is the place to be, so book a table for dinner if you’re concerned about gaining entry and getting a much-coveted seat. The dance floor is tiny and music is mainly house, with 1970s and 80s disco on Mondays, and R&B on Wednesdays. Gay night is Café con Leche on Sundays. Legendary promoters and Parisian nightowls David and Cathy Guetta left Les Bains a while ago and took some of their regulars with them, but the club is still a flash place to be and there is always the possibility of spotting a film star. A mix of ages and trends frequent the Rex Club.

Despite the essentially conservative nature of the clientele, the music on different nights ranges from glam rock and house to “exotique” – funk, reggae, and world music. Sounds are mainly rock and roll at the smart and non-ageist Zed Club. The vast La Loco caters to mainstream tastes most nights, with rock, house, groove, and dance music each occupying a different floor.

Utterly unpretentious, Club Med World is the place to go for 1980s classics and unselfconscious dancing.

EXCLUSIVE

Being rich, beautiful, and famous may not be enough to get you into Castel’s, but it could help. It is a strictly private club and the happy few who make it, dine in one of two very good restaurants before heading down to the dance floor. Regine’s is mostly full of besuited executives and wealthy foreigners who dine and dance to the easy-listening music. However, it is now enjoying something of a renaissance, especially on ladies nights, when a trained physiognomist picks out only the best looking women to come in for a girls-own session for a few hours, complete with male strip show. Predictably, when the doors open to men later in the evening, it becomes one of Paris’s top nightspots for seeing and being seen.

The wood-paneled, cozy Ritz Club in the legendary Ritz hotel is open only to members and hotel guests, though the chic and elegant are welcome. The ambience is upscale and the music makes for easy listening. A younger, glamorous set have recently begun to make the Ritz Club their home, attracted, no doubt, by its old-fashioned star quality.

Le World Place is one of the city’s hippest places to see and be seen in. The smooth and stylish decor sets off the expensive tans sported by the jetsetters, supermodels, and film stars who come here. Booking a table at the expensive, but decent, Lobster Café restaurant is a good way to ensure access. Equally posh, Le VIP is populated by wannabes attracted by the name. Private parties are often held here, so it’s a good idea to call ahead.

Showcase is the latest event on Paris’s night-scene with over 32,000 sq ft of space below the Pont

Alexandre III. It triples as a bar, nightclub, and concert hall. Another extremely upscale spot is L’Etoile situated near the Arc deTriomphe. Be prepared to make the effort to look your best (and most-solvent) to get in here.

The most popular of the posh clubs and the most laid-back and friendly once you’re inside, is Le Cab (formerly known as Cabaret). The interior has recently been redesigned by Ora Ito, and today, anybody who’s any-body comes here to dance like crazy or lay back and take it all in on one of the

sumptuous mattresses in the chillout area.

TRENDY

MadaM is known for its late-night sessions and beautiful, moneyed crowds. The music is very French, with lots of electro and disco.

An ultra-hip young crowd come to the new I Love Opera, an all-in-one restaurant, lounge and club.

The 6pm–10pm happy hour cocktails draw in the crowds.

For a top dancing night out, try the fortnightly “Bal” with live big band at the Elysée Montmartre. Here too, look out for “Return to the Source,” Goa-trance nights that come all the way from

London’s Fridge.

Paris’s trendy clubs seem to have a longer shelf-life than those in some other cities and another hip venue that’s still going strong is Le Gibus which offers different dance styles throughout the week. Check the flyers to pick your own style of party.

The Batofar, the scarlet lighthouse ship moored on the Seine in the 13th arrondissement, is now a mainstay of the Paris club scene. The music here varies from underground techno to reggae depending on the night of the week, but the crowd are always friendly and relaxed. In the summer, try not to miss their wonderfully chilled-out afternoon sessions on the quayside.

The Nouveau Casino behind the ever trendy Café Charbon in Oberkampf pulls in an eclectic crowd for events varying from dub to air-guitar competitions.

Newcomer Le Social Club has made an impressive mark on the Paris club scene with both its mixed programming and excellent live music agenda.

Old-timer La Flèche d’Or also offers an eclectic array of concerts, DJ nights, and concept evenings. Whilst if it’s just a large dance floor that’s needed, then Mix Club should suffice.

WORLD MUSIC

Le Cabaret Sauvage entertains a chic crowd under a big-top. Its eclectic program includes jazz,

African sounds, and drum ‘n’ bass. Le Casbah is exclusive, jazzy and one of the best established venues on the Paris club scene. Its African-Middle Eastern decor has always been a magnet for models and trendies who, in between dances, do a little nocturnal shopping in the club’s downstairs boutique. Le Casbah is at present deservedly enjoying something of a renaissance of its former “chicest of the chic” reputation.

If your nervous system responds favorably to the heaving rhythms and throbbing beat of authentic

Latin music, you should head for La Java, which combines glorious sounds with the quaint appeal of a Belleville dance hall. Barrio Latino definitely is the place to go for salsa with soul. Mood on the other hand, is a more upscale venue on the Champs-Elysées with a distinctive Japanese theme. Other lively world musicand rock nights are held at Satellit’ Café and La Maroquinerie, which attract

big stars. The latter also houses a restaurant and literary café.

GAY AND LESBIAN

The gay scene in Paris is thriving. Le Queen boasts a great line-up of DJs. Monday is disco night, Friday and Saturday are garage and soul and the rest of the week is drum and bass and house.

Some of the raunchier events are men-only. Girls should go with pretty boys.

Some nights at La Loco draw in a gay crowd. Le Champmeslé, one of the most venerable fixtures of Paris’s ever more upfront and confident lesbian scene, continues to evolve and attract a new clientele. Le Tango is a converted dance hall that features a wacky crowd, Madonna, and accordion music.

For a pre-club venue, lesbian bar Le Troisième Lieu is the hippest and busiest.

Le Day Off is a favorite haunt for afterwork drinks.

Scream is the gay night at the Elysée Montmartre. Le Depôt is rumored to be one of the most fun gay clubs in Paris, with a much-talked about backroom. Their Gay Tea Dance, held every Sunday, is legendary.

ADMISSION CHARGES

Some clubs are strictly private, others have a more generous admission policy. Prices can range from €12 to €15 or €30, or more, and may be higher after midnight and on week-ends. But quite often there are concessions for women. In general, one drink (une consommation) is included in the club’s entry price; thereafter it can become an extremely expensive evening.

Tourism of France

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Night Clubs in France

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