Back in late 2009 my editors at Paris Magazine contacted me about writing an article on the Paris nightlife scene. My assignment? To write a sort of rebuttal to the flurry of articles that had recently appeared in the French and American press declaring that Paris was dead after dark. So I spent the first [...]

Did you think you have to go to Rio de Janeiro or Venice to celebrate the Carnival? This year, forget these obvious destinations and join the Carnival celebrations in Paris! On Sunday, February 14th at 2.30pm, the Carnival de Paris procession will start from Place Gambetta, reach Belleville at 4pm and Place de la République at [...]

There’s no shortage of night clubs in Paris, especially if you like techno, hip-hop or generic pop dance music. But some of us get a little nostalgic for real rock and roll music, and even those classic slow dances where you get to dance a little…closer. Luckily, king of Parisian nightlife entertainment Nicolas Ullmann has decided to [...]

Parisians love to complain, and now a bona fide issue has grown out of moaning that the City of Light has lame nightlife. Never mind that the burlesque shows at Moulin Rouge and Crazy Horse are world-famous, that jazz clubs like Caveau de la Huchette have been drawing jazz fans for six decades, and that [...]

Remember Tom Cruise in Cocktail? This activity is known as “flair bartending,” and this Sunday evening you will be able to see the 20 of the best bartenders in competition to become the Champion of France on the stage of Le Reservoir. It should be quite spectacular, and the venue is a nice place to go at [...]

This weekend, don’t expect to get much sleep. The first weekend of October is all about the Nuit Blanche, an arty all-nighter where bleary-eyed residents and visitors wander around the city, from temporary exhibit to temporary exhibit, until the sun comes back up. For the 8th edition of  Nuit Blanche, the organisers have decided to [...]

Erik Halley’s business card should have weekend and weekday descriptions. From Mon-Fri, this adorable Frenchie can be found at his Parisian atelier handcrafting statement-making accessories for the best names in fashion such as Lagerfeld, Yohji, Givenchy and Mugler (to name but a few). But come the weekend, he trades his tools for the turntables as resident [...]

Prix de Flore-winning author Frédéric Beigbeder may have a second calling as a film comedian. I see him in a Judd Apatow boy-man type role, with a dose of French swagger. Last night was Paris’s first Literary Death Match, a throw-down organized by Opium magazine where authors read their work in competition before a live audience and jury. It started [...]

I often get asked how I met my Frenchman. Although I would love to share some romantic love story I have to admit we met just like any young couple: in a bar. while drinking. heavily. No love at first sight or first kiss on the beautiful Pont Neuf or even a late night ride [...]

 
Most Francophiles know about July 14, Bastille Day. But they don’t always know about July 13, the night of le bal des sapeurs-pompiers (the firemen’s ball). This Monday, all around France, firefighters will host their annual fundraising fête for anybody who wants to join l’équipe in drinking, dancing and perhaps nibbling a merguez sausage or two until the wee hours.
The [...]