Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Foraspotteemingwithlate-nightactivityandjazz,gotothetwo-block-longRuedes
Lombards, at Boulevard Sébastopol, midway between the river and the Pompidou Center
(Mo:Châtelet).
Au Duc des Lombards
isoneofthemostpopularandrespectedjazzclubs
in Paris, with concerts nightly in a great, plush, 110-seat theater-like setting (admission
€20-30, buy online and arrive early for best seats, cheap drinks, shows at 20:00 and 22:00,
42 Rue des Lombards, tel. 01 42 33 22 88,
www.ducdeslombards.fr
).
Le Sunside,
run for
19 years by Stephane Portet, is just a block away. The club offers two little stages (ground
floor and downstairs): “le Sunset” stage tends toward contemporary world jazz; “le Sun-
side” stage features more traditional and acoustic jazz (concerts range from free to €25,
checktheirwebsite;generallyat20:00,21:00,and22:00;60RuedesLombards,tel.0140
26 46 60,
www.sunset-sunside.com
)
.
For a less pricey—and less central—concert club, try
Utopia.
From the outside it's
a hole-in-the-wall, but inside it's filled with devoted fans of rock and folk blues. Though
Utopia is officially a private club (and one that permits smoking), you can pay €3 to join
foranevening,thenpayareasonablechargefortheconcert(usually€10orunder,concerts
start about 22:00). It's located in the Montparnasse area (79 Rue de l'Ouest, Mo: Pernety,
tel. 01 43 22 79 66,
www.utopia-cafeconcert.fr
).
Old-Time Parisian Cabaret on Montmartre: Au Lapin Agile
This historic little cabaret tries its best to maintain the atmosphere of the heady days when
bohemians would gather here to enjoy wine, song, and sexy jokes. Today, you'll mix in
with a few locals and many tourists (the Japanese love the place) for a drink and as many
as10differentperformers—mostlysingerswithapiano.Performersrangefromsweetand
innocent Amélie types to naughty Maurice Chevalier types. And though tourists are wel-
come, there's no accommodation for English speakers (except on their website), so non-
French-speakers will be lost. You sit at carved wooden tables in a dimly lit room, taste the
traditional drink (a small brandy with cherries), and are immersed in an old-time Parisi-
an ambience. The soirée covers traditional French standards, love ballads, sea chanteys,
andmore(€24,€7drinks,Tue-Sun21:00-2:00inthemorning,closedMon,besttoreserve
ahead, 22 Rue des Saules, tel. 01 46 06 85 87,
www.au-lapin-agile.com
)
.
Classical Concerts
For classical music on any night, consult
Pariscope
magazine (check “Concerts
Classiques” under “Musique” for listings), and look for posters at tourist-oriented
churches. From March through November, these churches regularly host concerts: St.
Sulpice, St. Germain-des-Prés, La Madeleine, St. Eustache, St. Julien-le-Pauvre, and
Sainte-Chapelle.
