The Club & Music Scene

The live music and club scene in Paris is legendary. The City of Light is home to everything from the swankiest of chic nightclubs -- with thousand-euro bottle service and models -- to the smallest and sweatiest dive bars. There is also a world-class jazz scene here, as well as a varied live music scene; clubs and concert halls host everything from cutting-edge electronica music to hip-hop to the soft glamour of indie rock, and just about everything else in between. Paris is a moveable dance floor.

Cabarets

Decidedly expensive, these places give you your money's worth by providing lavishly spectacular floor shows. They generally attract an older crowd and are definitely not youth-oriented.

Chansonniers

Chansonniers (literally translated, songwriters) provide a bombastic musical satire of the day's events. This combination of parody and burlesque is a time-honored Gallic amusement and a Parisian institution. Songs are often created on the spot, inspired by the "disaster of the day."

Jazz Clubs

The great jazz revival that long ago swept America is still going strong here, with Dixieland, Chicago, bop, and free-jazz rhythms being pounded out in dozens of cellars, mostly called caveaux, where music-lovers of all ages gather to listen to jazz.

The Club Scene

From the dance halls of the cancan and raucous and energetic jazz clubs of the 1920s, Parisians have historically made it a point to get out at night and go dancing. Stepping into a Parisian club today (known as les boîtes de nuit, or just une boîte) with the locals is one of the best ways to experience a night on the town in the City of Lights. Like in any big city, Parisian clubs are divided into different scenes: some places more "see and be seen," while others tend to focus less on what you're wearing and more on the music being played -- not to suggest that the glitz and glam spots don't have great music. Certain locations stay popular for years, but most will wax and wane in their level of "coolness." Also, the French love their fashion, so dressing to impress is obligatory -- this includes nice shoes; sneakers rarely get you past the line outside. Check Time Out: Paris or Pariscope to get a sense of current trends. Most of these clubs don't really get going until at least 11pm, if not later.

Gay and Lesbian Bars and Clubs

Paris has a vibrant gay scene, centered around le Marais, les Halles, and to some extent, Bastille. The area with the greatest concentration of gay and lesbian clubs, restaurants, bars, and shops is the area surrounding the Hôtel-de-Ville and Rambuteau Métro stops. Gay dance clubs come and go so fast that even the magazines devoted to them, such as 2x and Illico -- distributed free in the gay bars and bookstores -- have a hard time keeping up. For lesbians, there is Lesbia Magazine. Also look Têtu and PREF (Préférences) magazines, sold at most newsstands -- each has special nightlife inserts for gay bars and clubs.