My girlfriends and I are planning a trip to Europe and will be in Paris for a few days. Our agenda includes many nights of %26quot;experiencing the local culture%26quot;!! We were browsing guidebooks for the trip over the weekend and came across some information that is making us have reservations about hitting the town and club scene in Paris. For example, %26quot;The Irreverent Paris%26quot; by Frommers was pretty blunt about the club scene--pretentious, no jeans, very expensive, and necessary to tip anyone and everyone. Is this true? We could always go to a bar or pub, but the idea of hitting a Parisian hotspot sounded kind of fun....until we read the guide books. Is this really the case? Were the guide books highlighting a certain group of clubs. Are there fun places that aren%26#39;t as pretentious?
|||
The Paris club scene is definitely not as happening as London, and it is very expensive. I actually saw some locals drinking from the sink faucets in the ladies room rather than pay 10 euros for water or a diet coke, and heaven knows how much for a cocktail. Many of the younger guys are not so well off, so they won%26#39;t be offering to buy you drinks like guys do here in the US (where drinks are cheaper), which was fine with me since I can%26#39;t drink alcohol. You may notice the other women examining you with a critical eye, but it is harmless.
I wouldn%26#39;t give up on it, however, if you really want to check out the nightlife, because you might meet some nice people and have alot of fun. As far as clothing goes, I wore a skirt on Saturday night, and I think skirt wearing girls were outnumbered by girls in nice jeans.
|||
I have been to Paris several times and enjoy the nightlife, and while I am not an expert on the subject I can probably shed some light. The clubs the guidebook describe sound like the large ones in the Champs E%26#39;lysees area. They are very expensive because for one in order to get a table you are expected to buy a %26quot;bottle%26quot; which is very expensive. Also, they are more exclusive and not everyone is admitted.
Don%26#39;t worry, you can totally bypass that scene and still find a lot of clubs to go to and have a great time. If you want a very relaxed vibe where even blue jeans would be okay, then check out the Latin Quarter clubs. These are not large dance clubs, but smaller establishments and some do offer dancing. La Caveau de La Huchette is a fabulous jazz cellar where swing dancing is in and the cover is just 10E. It is a place for young and old and a good place to meet locals. There is a latin club on Rue de la Huchette also and there are several others.
I have heard the area around Bastille and Oberkampf are really the best for dance clubs and not very pretentious. However, to be safe I would recommend not wearing jeans at night to all but the most casual clubs. A pair of black pants is usually a good bet. Pricing and drinks would be similar to clubs in any large US city. I plan to go to these clubs when I go in March and I have been researching the area. You can find a lot of the clubs listed here
www.10best.com/Paris/Nightlife/Dance_Clubs/
|||
Don%26#39;t think that to enjoy the nightlife you have to go to a trendy dance club and spend 20 euros a drink. There are so many great jazz clubs, great cafes and bars that don%26#39;t discriminate based on your level of %26quot;hip%26quot;...Just being out at night is a blast.
Also, the salsa clubs are fun...and not like the more pretentious clubs.
Les
|||
I don%26#39;t agree with what the book said.
For a more comprehensive source, look at %26quot;Time Out: Paris%26quot;. It is available at Barnes %26amp; Noble and has an extensive list of all types of clubs -- grouped by neighborhood.
Also, I would try to ask some young local Parisians -- the natives are always in the know, especially since clubs keep changing and moving around.
Enjoy!
|||
Thanks ya%26#39;ll!! This is exactly what we were wanting to hear! Appreciate the feedback!
No comments:
Post a Comment