So you are a clubber. You love the night life. The only reason you really want to visit Paris is to see the world-class clubs, cafes, and cocktail bars, and why not go shopping and pick up trendy clubwear while you’re there? You want to listen to the famous French Touch house music and watch the sunrise over the Seine. But Paris is also the number one tourist destination in the world, so you should do some due diligence and see at least a few tourist attractions, if only to show your friends and family that you’ve actually been to Paris. So here are the ten coolest things clubbers visiting Paris can do, including top tourist attractions that should be of particular interest to you.
Palace of Versailles – The home of French kings from Louis XIV to Louis XVI (and Marie Antoinette). This is undoubtedly the most extravagant palace in Europe and one of the most renowned in the world. At its height, more than 1,000 noblemen lived at Versailles, taking part in its social functions and playing games of political intrigue. If you like elegance, glamor and extravagance, take a day off, get up early and go to Versailles.
The Louvre – The most famous museum in the world, home to the Mona Lisa and countless other priceless works of art. You could spend a week exploring the Louvre, but since you’re in Paris for the nightlife and the Louvre is centrally located, just head out for an afternoon after a late brunch. Enjoy the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, Michelangelo’s slaves and some other pieces that catch your eye. The next time you visit an opening, you will be able to admire art from a new point of view.
The Eiffel Tower – The Eiffel Tower needs little introduction. You should visit it to have a photo of yourself with the Eiffel Tower in the background, it will be a good memory of your trip to the nightlife of Paris. If you don’t choose to go up to one of the observation levels, you can also choose to go to Place de Trocadero, which presents some of the best photo opportunities of the Eiffel Tower.
Café de Flore – While you can visit any café in Saint Germain, or cafés in many other neighborhoods in Paris, Saint Germain is famous as a favorite destination for intellectuals and artists. One of the best known cafes in Saint Germain is the Café de Flore. You can eat a late brunch here or just stop by in the late afternoon for a cup of coffee or early evening for a cocktail. Ideal for people watching, relaxing after shopping in Saint Germain and also for a light lunch, the Café de Flore was the hangout for the philosopher Jean Paul Sartre and his group of existentialists. Note that while the outdoor terrace is often full, French notes and regulars usually stay indoors or upstairs.
Stroll the Champs-Elysées – Although the Champs-Elysées is no longer the world’s longest boulevard, as immortalized in movies like Godard’s Breathless (A Bout de Souffle), you should visit the Champs-Elysées to get your bearings. , because the best clubs in Paris are located along the Champs Elysées and its side streets. Most stores and restaurants these days are chains, franchises, and fast food, but you’ll also find the Louis Vuitton flagship store.
Place des Victoires – This list could be completed with ten places to shop, but we’ll try to stay on track. So limit your specific shopping destination to the Place des Victoires. In the square itself and in the side streets, you will find some of the best shops and boutiques in the city for clubwear. You can also pick up numerous club flyers and party invitations at the same boutiques and trendy cafes nearby.
Visit a VIP nightclub: Paris is home to some of the most exclusive nightclubs in the world. While a night out can be quite expensive, it can also be rewarding. The nightclubs along the Champs Elysées can be the most difficult to get into. So if you don’t consider yourself a veteran of getting over the velvet rope, the best strategy is to go to a nice trendy cocktail bar, talk to the trendy people there and ask them where is the best place for YOU to go tonight. They’ll get the message and tell you where it’s easiest to get in or maybe invite you to join them. Key destinations include: Queen, Etoile, Le Cab, VIP Lounge, Sens, Le Baron.
Cabaret: If you want to spend a quiet but spicy evening, visit a Parisian cabaret. Cabaret shows are Las Vegas-style variety shows featuring bare-breasted dancers, acrobats, and other exotic performers. The Moulin Rouge is classic and the old standby, but the Lido, on the Champs Elysées, is along the same lines but a bit more exclusive. Slightly different, the Crazy Horse is a more risqué show, consisting entirely of nearly fully nude women performing choreographed dances while an artistic display of colored lights dances over their bodies.
Theater / Opera / Jazz Club – Choose according to the amount of time you have and your particular predilections. But every night of the week there is something to do in Paris. You will find some of the most magnificent opera houses and theaters in the world. If you visit the theater, you’ll need to be fluent enough in French to follow along, but even if you’re not, visiting a venue like the Théatre des Champs-Elysées can be a social affair. When visiting the Opera, the Opera Garnier is the obvious choice. With its baroque architecture and capacity for more than 2,000 people, it offers nightly opera and ballet performances. For either, you’ll want to dress to the nines. Paris also has a world-class jazz offering, check out New Morning or Hot Brass for the best international headliners.
Drive along the Quai de la Seine: At least once during your stay in Paris, at 4 or 5 in the morning, or when you return home before dawn, take a taxi along the Quai de la Seine. If you’re heading from the Champs-Elysées to Châtelet, you’ll be traveling along the riverbank. Seeing it at night, when everything is quiet and the crowd has gone to sleep, is an unforgettable and romantic place too.
In case your nightly activities don’t wear you out, or if you’re lucky enough to have enough time to go out every night for a fortnight and still have days to spare, you can visit the standard offering of museums, restaurants and cultural attractions. And in case you have an extended stay planned, get closer to the culture and avoid the 6:00 am walk past the hotel doorman by choosing a short-term Paris vacation rental.
