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 six weeks of 2010 getting reacquainted with some of my favorite old haunts and checking out a handful of new ones, trying to readjust to a nocturnal schedule and stay warm despite the particularly harsh winter temperatures (and the typical female party attire of not enough fabric).

Yes, bars and clubs have taken a hit due to loud smokers on the sidewalks at all hours and an increasingly intolerant residential population, but there’s still much to do after dark if you know where to look. You can read my article in the March/April 2010 edition of Paris Magazine, available in English bookstores and major newsstands (or read it on their website).

For those of you who don’t get out much, here’s a brief rundown of some of the latest changes and noteworthy additions to the Paris nightlife scene:

• Flèche d’Or has reopened after a long closure for renovations. Concerts aren’t free anymore (not that €8 including a drink is going to bankrupt anyone, even during la crise), but at least the bathrooms have been spiffed up. Pete Doherty and Gossip have had shows, and Juliette Lewis will be singing in May.
• The Chacha Club was closed down by the authorities in January after the staff were caught dealing drugs (and none too discreetly, it seems), but the latest reports are that they will reopen the end of March.
• Le Loco nightclub was purchased by the neighboring Moulin Rouge in November and reopened in February as La Machine du Moulin Rouge. For the moment it’s still a club hosting live bands (mostly rock and pop) and DJs, but rumor has it the cabaret will eventually incorporate it into their lounge, gift shop and museum.

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