Going out in Paris Region

When it comes to a great night out, Paris has plenty of experience. In the 18th century when street lights arrived, Paris became the stage of frenzied evenings out. It all began at the Palais Royal, then spread to the capital’s restaurants before taking to Paris Boulevards in the 19th century. But the golden age of nightlife has to be the Belle Epoque. The Moulin Rouge theatre attracted everyone who was anyone in Paris, while the middle classes let their hair down at secret parties.

Paris became the ultimate post-war celebration capital. Great personalities from the world of art took it in turns to put on shows at the bars and restaurants of the Montparnasse and Saint-Germain-des-Prés districts. Cocteau organised wild parties. Josephine Baker revolutionised musical history with her avant-garde shows… Not to mention the great intellectuals of that era who played their power games at every opportunity in the different restaurants. Hemingway talks about those heated Parisian evenings in many of his books.

Nowadays, evenings out in Paris are somewhat calmer and there’s something for every taste. On a family weekend, there’s nothing better than playing guinguette games after spending the afternoon in an escape room. If you can’t make up your mind between the theatre or a restaurant, forget about having to choose. An evening out in Paris Region can be a whole experience in its own right. Drinks at the bar can become a stand-up comedy show. As if by magic, your dinner at a restaurant can turn into a secret concert performance. There’s something for everyone, young or old, as long as you enjoy a festive atmosphere.

An afterwork session at a bar in Seine-et-Marne? Tapas on the terrace of a Parisian restaurant? Good times make good friendships. From home-brewed beer at the Cité fertile to a jazz concert at the Baiser salé or an underground show at the bar L’International, there’s no shortage of ways to party with the people you love. And you don’t even have to wait until the weekend. During the week, you can join a pub quiz or other team game, or attend a concert of classical music. As you’ll find out, Paris Region never sleeps.

Are you more into family activities? Great, because the children can party with you. Among other key events in Paris Region, the ‘boum’ is back with a nod to the music of the 1990s. Amusing concerts, games nights, theatre… There’s plenty to keep families entertained in the region.

Is bar crawling your favourite sport? An evening at a wine bar a gourmet experience in its own right? Whether you’re into Saint Emilion or Saint Arnoult, you’re bound to find a bar that’s right up your street in Paris Region.

In Paris Region, a war is being raged between grapevines and hop bines. As the story has it, beer was reserved for team sport enthusiasts and wine was drunk by fans of fine food and culinary activities. But you’ll be delighted (or shocked) to learn that there’s a cocktail which dares to mix them together and goes by the name of ‘embuscade’ (ambush).

Bars are generally thought of as places to drink and party, but in some cases they provide a dining experience worthy of a restaurant. More and more breweries are popping up across Paris Region. Wine bars have as many cheese and charcuterie options as bottles on the wine list. Fancy enjoying these gourmet activities as a family? The kids will be delighted to drink a tangy mocktail.

The flowers are in bud and bloom, birds are cheeping above the Seine and the sun heats up the cobblestone streets. The guinguettes are back in Paris Region! The guinguette is an institution in the history of Parisian entertainment, an open-air bar-come-dance hall that attracts party animals from the local region and beyond. For the ultimate togetherness experience, bring your family or friends to a guinguette, such as La Javelle. During the day, games are organised to keep the children happy. In the evening, it’s time to party, enjoy the music or see a play.

If you’re feeling peckish, the guinguettes are also eateries. These festive venues are masters in the art of satisfying the most indecisive of appetites with their delicious platters of colourful tapas. Food the whole family will love.

Your evening out in Paris Region wouldn’t be complete without a spot of music! A stage musical, a hard-rock concert in the basement of a bar or a jazz festival in Saint-Germain-des-Prés… There are plenty of opportunities to have a bop in Paris Region. Among these events, World Music Day, never fails to get the whole nation singing. The music never stops for your family and friends here.

Live music galore in Paris Region. From intimate theatres and restaurant basements to enormous concert venues, there are hundreds of ways to enjoy the music with your family or friends. For an open-air opera performance, visit the parks in summer and listen to the music in the shade of the trees. A number of festivals also feature in the region events calendar, a great opportunity to see world-famous artists performing live.

Prefer the subdued atmosphere of a [jazz] concert(/en/what-to-see-and-do/going-out/jazz)? Paris happens to be a world capital in this musical genre. To find out what we mean, pop to Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the 1950s cradle of jazz. In just a few notes you’ll be transported from Paris and the river Seine to New Orleans on the Mississippi.

In Paris Region, night fever isn’t only on Saturdays. Things may liven up at weekends, but you can party during the week as well.

Clubbing is part and parcel of musical history in the region. The Trabendo, with its concert hall and dance floor, is now a must-do on the French clubbing scene. Another institution, Les Bains, formerly Les Bains-douches, became an icon of Paris nightlife as soon as it opened. At this hotel the music has been swapped for spa baths, but part of the legendary hall still remains to keep the tradition alive.

Who says nightclubs are for adults? Your children can show off their dance moves too by attending a ‘boum’! These parties are the latest trend in the auditoriums and concert halls of Paris Region. Giving pride of place to the music of our teenage years, the ‘boum’ gives parents a chance to indulge in a guilty pleasure while watching in admiration as the kids jump about to the hits of the 90s.

Enjoy a typically Parisian evening out at the cabarets. Their history dates back to the 19th century when the Chat Noir of Montmartre had temperatures rising across the city. Nowadays, the codes of cabaret are back in a number of Parisian shows. Historic institutions like the Moulin Rouge continue to thrill the audience. Besides their famous striptease shows, cabarets are the cradle of great artistic and social revolutions, staging performances that support diversity and inclusion. Among them features the famous Madame Arthur where comedy and glamour have rarely made such a perfect match. And believe it or not, some cabaret shows are suitable for children. Wondering what to do for New Year’s Eve in Paris Region? Put your trust in Madame Arthur, you won’t regret it!

So you’ve done the museums, explored the exhibitions and are now looking for new ideas? In Paris Region, certain brownfield sites have been transformed into open-air museums. With your family or friends, you’ll find alternative places to enjoy all sorts of different activities. Fancy going to the cinema, an exhibition or a restaurant? It can all be done in a single day. When the sun comes out, the façades of sheet metal and glass open up and invite you to relax. Between listening to music, sipping at a mojito, playing table tennis or joining the children in their outdoor games, the choice is yours.