The 23 best clubs in Paris

Fan of music’s harsher incarnations? La Station’s got you. Tucked inside a former coal station just beyond the Périph’, this leftfield clubbing spot boasts several stages inside and out, and doubles as an exhibition space by day. The programme, by Collectif MU, takes in everything from straight-up techno to hardcore punk.

As La Locomotive, this venue played host to the likes of the Beatles, David Bowie and the Who. Bought by the Moulin Rouge in 2010, it’s since been transformed into a three-floor mega-club known for its eclectic live music bookings and all-night parties – from the self-explanatory We Are The ’90s throwback to raves curated by local collective La Mamie’s. La Machine du Moulin Rouge may be massive, but get down early, as the rooms fill up fast.

A must-see for the last two festive summers, Virage, the sub-peripheral wasteland in the 17th district, is back for a third round in full swing. The line-up stands out for its stylistic flexibility – trance, techno, amapiano, house, eurodance and more – as well as its impressive density, featuring some solid headliners but mainly focusing on unmissable names, collectives, parties, and festivals of the moment, many of which are local. A new feature this year is the DJ booth being set up in the pit for more intimacy with the dancers, allowing people to groove behind the decks, guaranteeing a Boiler Room-like atmosphere.

Since 2021, Pamela has revitalised the nightlife in the Latin Quarter. Taken over by Adam Spielman from the Madman Regent collective, this club has spared no effort in its revamp, featuring a vaulted cellar decor with a series of well-designed alcoves, an oversized smoking room, and a highly recommended cocktail menu. On the music front, Joe Lewandowski handles the programming, with house and hip-hop DJs familiar with Fashion Weeks making the vaults groove. This is also where the popular night La P3 was born, created by women for women (over 21), predominantly queer and women of colour. One last fact to impress: Pamela was the name of Jim Morrison’s girlfriend, who passed away in the club’s toilets.

Nothing beats partying until the sun comes up – especially when the views are this good. Anchored on the Seine in the south-east of Paris, this scenic spot is a restaurant, rooftop bar and 450-capacity music venue in one. Concerts take in live rock and metal, experimental electronic music and reggae, while the club nights are among the capital’s most eclectic. Try to catch one of the city’s many groundbreaking DJ collectives.

Carved out after extensive renovations in the former Péripate, under the ring road, Fawa Wafa unfolds over a dual space with a six-metre-high honeycombed concrete ceiling, creating a raw bunker vibe: unfinished paintings, shabby benches, and a minimalist booth – just a table for the turntables – with a few red neon lights and Vendôme barriers used as tape. The dance floor, encircled by an all-encompassing 360-degree sound system, welcomes a fashionable and queer crowd, grooving to an adventurous electronic soundtrack. We’ve danced to the Hi-NRG of French DJ Minor Black, as well as the Afro-descendant sounds of Andy4000, who celebrated her birthday with Ohjeelo and Greg. After a rocky start and some unexpected closures, the venue seems to have found its stride by spring 2024, offering a mix of dining, performances, exhibitions, and DJ sets on Fridays.

For more than 40 years, this club beneath the historic Grand Rex cinema has drawn the cream of electronic music from around the world. An early stomping ground for French pioneers like Laurent Garnier and Daft Punk, the Rex Club still puts on some of the city’s best nights. Want to truly immerse yourself in the sound? A quality 70-speaker set-up makes that an inevitability.

It’s in this rococo hidey-hole that Georges Bizet composed his famous opera. Velvet drapery, a huge golden cage and outsize mirrors hint at the building’s past as a Pigalle maison close. Today, though, Le Carmen fills up with slebs, influencers and other beautiful-looking types as resident DJ Adnane spins hip-hop classics from midnight.