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Paris' Alternative Nightlife

Text: Rooksana Hossenally
Image: Hip House

Needless to say that Paris doesn’t quite have a bustling nightlife to rival London or New York, but it does have its fair share of quirky and traditional bars, restaurants and cabarets, as well as a number of alternative arty music events in venues all over the city. Popular with the capital’s ‘in’ crowd, venues like La Bellevilloise and La Maroquinerie in the 20th, Point Ephémère in the 10th, Glaz’Art in the 19th and Mains d’Oeuvres at Porte de Saint-Ouen are experiencing a rise in popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. The events held at these venues often combine art and music in quirky unusual spaces that have quickly become the place to be seen, especially for those of you dying to be part of the Paris Boho scene!

La Bellevilloise boasts a 2000m2 surface area divided up into five different spaces: the Loft and Forum, used for art exhibitions; La Halle aux Oliviers (The Olive Tree Hall), the venue’s restaurant, where art is also displayed and where concerts are held; the Club, which welcomes a range of bands from both ends of the spectrum and anywhere in between;  and the Screening Room, where films and video installations are projected. You could easily see anything from a Jazz sound system to a band of musicians dressed like Canadian gypsies banging out Irish folk music. 

 

La Cave à Bulles

Text and images: Omid Tavallai

On a narrow cobblestone street in Paris' Beaubourg district, Simon Thillou is slowly fomenting revolution. Or fermenting, rather... Mild-mannered and extremely friendly, he explains in fluent English, "Paris is not a beer place. It's difficult for a beer lover to be in Paris for a long time. So that's the reason I'm here."

It's Simon's mission to turn Parisians on to - and supply them with - quality beer. And over the last four years (exactly four years, to the day of this writing, in fact) he has slowly but surely been fulfilling his mission. From his shop on Rue Quincampoix, he sells mostly French beers and dispenses useful knowledge and advice. But not only to beardy beer snobs.

"My customers are people who like good beers, not necessarily beer geeks. People who - once they've tasted good beer - don't want to go back to crappy supermarket beer," he says. "I also get foreign customers who visit Paris several times, and now whenever they visit, they come here. And I trade for overseas beer with them!"

Café Bonnie by Canal Saint Martin

Text and image: Nick Forrester

Café Bonnie, located just around the corner from Quay de Valmy on the Canal St Martin, is as 60s kitch as anywhere in Paris. Though the bar has more pink and baby blue than Lady Penelope's bedroom, all is not as it seems. The blue awning is growing slightly moldy green and the plush interior has become like  the regulars, slightly scruffy and charmingly gnarled.

The bar staff would look more at home in Hampstead than Paris, and not out of place in Fagins gang.  With a fine taste in music you can expect to hear anything from a fantastic selection of current indie, emo, electro, to Led Zappelin and even some Jazz. To celebrate the weekend they normally have a slightly more raucous DJ night. Though there is scarcely room to swing a cat, the dance area has a pair of phonograph decks which are brought into use on special occasions.

Pershing Hall Hotel

Text by Eva Krysiak

Pershing Hall Hotel provides a striking blend of sensory titillation. Dramatic green, red and pink lighting cloaks the walls and the smell of fresh mint and limes wafts from the cocktails. A vertical, botanical wall provides the centerpiece of the downstairs lounge - at 30 metres high and spanning two floors, it provides a dramatic setting. 

Chez Jeannette

Susie Hollands and Ana Lee-Karkar writing for VINGT Paris

This is a new-look for the very tatty old bar once frequented students from L'Ecole internationale de théâtre Jacques Lecoq next door.  Now THE right bank hang-out for the arty-fashion-gay crowd, the bar is located right on the Strasbourg St Denis Market opposite Passage Brady's Indian alley - yes, a quartier trés métissé.

The food is decent and a solid choice for Sunday brunch - featuring "Jeannette's burger" - most dishes range from 7.50 to 19 euros. Of course it's more the high quality people-watching than gastronomical value we're seeking here.

The 1940s wallpaper is a throw-back to the era of the original Jeannette, an Auvergnate who passed the Bistro on to the next generation (from the region that famously produced and assisted the Costes as well as countless other Bistro and cafe owners) ...on the condition that they did not radically change the décor.  That's the reason it's a truly authentic patina - with a very slight sheen.

No drinks allowed outside which is the major down side and keeps La Perle in our good books. If we were to compare the two, we'd say Chez Jeannette has a slightly higher percentage of bearded men.

Chez Jeannette
47, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis
75010 Paris

More photos of Chez Jeannette on our Flickr group.

La Terrasse FLO

On the roof off the Printemps department store, this bar-restaurant is a real pleasure to visit - especially in August which cuts out the escalator queue.

Grab your mini bottle of 5 euro wine at entry and head to the large terrace with panoramic views over all of Paris' monuments; the bottle should last you two generous glasses.

Beach wood flooring and city luminescence from up top can leave one in a dreamlike state - that alone makes for good vibes and a relaxing evening with friends.

Note: The place is really rockin' during the warmer seasons, especially for the "alternatively" living.

La Terrasse FLO - Le Printemps
64 boulevard Haussmann
75009 Paris

Broc Déj at Comptoir Général

Ana Lee writing for VINGT Paris

Every Sunday from 11h to 17h, the Comptoir Général hosts a breakfast / brunch and brocante event in their ecclectic eco-friendly space.

For 6 euros you have an all you can eat Petit Déjeuner with large jars of home made jams, to scoop into to your heart's content. We had the pleasure of having a guitarist come to our table and croon Brassens while munching on our tartines.

The space is also family friendly and includes a play space for kids, and a cabinet of curiosités to lure the critters while you're skimming through the vintage clothing racks.

Que du Bonheur at Rosa Bonheur

Located inside the Buttes-Chaumont park, this bar / restaurant is Paris outside of Paris, an ideal place to go to watch the sun set over the city.

You can either sit on the grass with your friends on the hill right under the bar or join the festivities inside, as they play music of the likes of Benitez and Nebula, David Bowie, Jennifer Cardinni, Jacques Brel, and Siouxie & The Banshees.

Saturday nights are a must in the summer.

20 Terraces

1. Café Marly, 1er
2. Café Suedois, 4e
3. Tokyo Eat, 16e
4. Les Deux Magots, 6e
5. Corcorans 18e
6. Stolly's, 4e
7. Chez Prune, 10e
8. Andy Wahloo, 3e
9.  Café Carette, 16e
10. Café de la Mosquée de Paris, 5e
11. La Mer à Boire, 20e
12. Point Ephèmere, 10e
13. Le Pause Café, 11e
14. Batofar, 13e
15. Café Sancerre, 18e
16. Le Mini Palais, 8e
17. L'Entrepôt, 14e
18. Point Ephémère, 10e
19. Le Soleil, 20e
20. Bar du Marché 6e

Drawing by Francis van der Riet

Bob's Juice Bar

For those who know of Bob's Juice Bar in the 10th arrondissement, a new one has opened on rue des Gravilliers in the Arts & Metiers area. This is the place to go for healthy vegetarian fast-food. Get your wheat-grass drinks and smoothies starting from 3 euros, menus including salads and sandwiches at 9 euros.

Bob's Juice Bar
15, rue Lucien Sampaix
75010 Paris

74 rue des Gravilliers NEW!
75003 Paris