Best clubs in Paris: 10 places to party until the morning
Paris is an unforgettable city for many travellers, famous for its many iconic landmarks, gourmet restaurants and atmospheric streets. But today it is also one of the world's centres of nightlife. The coolest clubs in Paris are full of energy, sparkling with lights and make their guests give themselves over to the music to the fullest.
Over the past ten years, nightlife in the French capital has changed its course dramatically and now, after its global rebirth, can compete even with Berlin clubs in terms of the scale of programmes and reputation. In this shortlist, we've compiled the top 10 clubs in Paris where you can spend an unforgettable night of fun, dancing and drive.
1. La Station - Gare des Mines
One of the most popular clubs in Paris and a cult place for underground parties was built on the site of a railway station that operated in the 1950s. The atmosphere here is appropriate: industrial atmosphere, exposed brick walls and high ceilings. Guests are greeted with great alternative and underground tracks and performances by promising young artists. The club has several stages inside and outside, and during the day it is used as an exhibition space for contemporary art with seating areas and outside bars. This huge 400m2 club welcomes Parisians and visitors from Wednesday to Sunday. You're sure to make a few friends here while you're having a blast on the dance floor, playing ping-pong and drinking beer on the terrace.
2. Rex Club
The legendary Parisian club of electronic music has given moments of glory to all world-class DJs. It has been operating for 30 years and consistently holds the bar as one of the best clubs in Paris. It's a great place for techno and electronic music fans, carefully preserving its simplicity and authenticity.
It owes its name to its location - the club is located in the basement of the Grand Rex concert venue in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. It has a large dance floor and a VIP area, and visitors praise this place for its diverse music programme, reasonable prices and high-quality audio system. Rex Club is open from Thursday to Saturday, has a rather lenient entrance policy, and is a favourite place for visitors who prefer to party until the first rays of the sun.
3. Petit Bain
Many of the best clubs in Paris, France, are not typical nightclubs, but rather spaces for cultural and entertainment events. One of them is Petit Bain, designed as a floating barge by Encore Heureux architects. Petit Bain is located on the banks of the Seine in the 13th arrondissement next to the Josephine Baker Pool. The 45-metre-long space with unobstructed views of the river seats 450 people and is a concert and performance venue with a rooftop bar and restaurant. The focus here is on contemporary music and new art forms. The club nights are considered to be among the best in Paris for their eclecticism of styles. It also has a seasonal deck terrace lined with plants, an information centre and a recording studio. There's never a dull moment here: you can attend a concert, an art exhibition, enjoy a cocktail while admiring the view of the Seine, or dance the night away.
4. La Bellevilloise
When you visit fashionable clubs in Paris like La Bellevilloise, you can always be sure that it's crowded and fun. The establishment is located in the north-eastern part of the city and pleases visitors with free entry and drinks. It hosts great hip-hop and neo-soul parties.
The club covers an area of 250 m2 and is a great place to watch artists perform. The stage is very close, so the atmosphere is as open and friendly as possible. The venue is also used for exhibitions, debates, parades and film mixes. Its space, like many clubs in Paris, acts as a cultural centre and combines a dance floor, a concert venue, an exhibition hall and a restaurant. If you want to sit here for dinner, get ready for the noise from the club downstairs. But Sunday brunches with live music are not to be missed.
5. Le Carmen
Another representative of the list of top clubs in Paris, Le Carmen is located in a private mansion built in 1875. It was the site of the Particulier hotel, and its interior hasn't changed much since then. It is worth noting that it looks impressive in the club theme: a glass bar, rococo furniture, velvet draperies, impressive ceilings with stucco frescoes, huge mirrors and sculptural columns. Now, in the midst of this splendour, it is a popular venue for parties, DJ sets and acoustic concerts, as well as a bar with a great selection of creative cocktails and wines. Le Carmen has a more relaxed entry policy than other top clubs in Paris, so it's a good option for when you haven't planned your night out in advance.
6. Badaboum
Another one of the best clubs in Paris is located near the Bastille on rue des Taillandiers and takes a modern approach to rave parties. Its style resembles a combination of an old-school cocktail bar and a cosy Parisian apartment. The club's interior is designed in an industrial style with projection displays, a large dance floor and good lighting.
It can accommodate 400 people and attracts its guests with reasonable prices and a first-class atmosphere. There is a lot of space here, and there is a cosy room with comfortable benches upstairs where you can relax with friends and have a cocktail after dancing. This club hosts house parties and great indie rock concerts. The programme starts at around 7pm with performances by emerging artists and then continues with club sets by French and foreign DJs.
7. La Machine du Moulin Rouge
The venue began its history as La Locomotive, a club where David Bowie, The Beatles and The Who performed. In 2010, a new chapter in its development began when it was bought by the famous cabaret. Now, it is one of the first places that comes to mind when it comes to clubs to go to in Paris.
It has four main halls located on four levels. The main hall is home to Le Central, a club that seats 800 people, and the basement is a kind of mini-club called La Chaufferie, which seats 400 guests. On the terrace behind the Moulin Rouge is Le Bar à Bulles, and on the roof there is a beautiful Le Toit hall with a magnificent view of the surroundings. La Machine du Moulin Rouge hosts performances of local and foreign artists, and welcomes different musical styles: hip-hop, techno and house. The club is open on Fridays and Saturdays. On the downside, it remains one of the most popular clubs in Paris among tourists, so entrance tickets are sold out very quickly.
8. Supersonic
If you are a rock music fan, there are also interesting clubs in Paris for you, for example, Supersonic is definitely worth a visit. This nightclub boasts the best rock selection and is a platform for up-and-coming rock bands to perform. It's also popular for its free early evening concerts, featuring indie rock shows by local and international artists.
The club's two floors are decorated with metal and wooden elements. The atmosphere is intimate and energetic, somewhat reminiscent of New York. Themed concerts are held on weekdays, and on weekends it turns into an electro club with parties in the style of the 60s. Unlike other famous clubs in Paris, it is open seven days a week.
9. La Java
The club is located in the Belleville district and is characterised by simplicity without frills and a friendly atmosphere. It is located in the basement of a magnificent Art Deco building with stained glass windows and a wrought-iron staircase, which houses the Palais du Commerce gallery. A few metres below the gallery, in the roaring twenties, a haven for Parisian midnighters was opened. La Java, like some of the other coolest clubs in Paris, witnessed performances by French music icons such as Edith Piaf and Django Reinhardt.
Today, La Java is open in a club format from Wednesday to Saturday. It plays popular tracks, mostly international and electro, as well as hosts parties and concerts, and performances by stand-up artists. It is popular due to its cheap entrance fees and very budget-friendly drink prices.
10. Le Glaz'art
This nightclub is located in a former bus station in the north-east of the city. It is most popular in the summer, when it turns into a huge outdoor area with an urban "beach" and sun loungers. This place surprises with the extremes of musical styles: from metal and space rock concerts to drum and bass, dubstep and psycho trance parties.
The club has a concert stage and a bar where you can have a drink and sit on comfortable sofas. It is located in the depths of the 19th district, so it is more difficult to get here. But on the other hand, this gives it some advantages: there are no crowds of tourists besieging good clubs in Paris, no excessive Parisian noise, and its visitors are mostly true fans of underground and techno parties.