Le Carmen, Pigalle
€€€ | DJs, late-night
Housed in the former mansion of Carmen composer Georges Bizet, Le Carmen is a exclusive club in the golden triangle of Pigalle. Inside, it’s opulent and slightly surreal, packed with beautifully chic people, boudoir-style interior, red velvet couches and the odd gold cage. The music is eclectic but in the best way; it might be house, it might be Kylie Minogue, but the unexpectedness is part of the charm. Theatrical and genuinely fun rather than just photogenic.
Good to know: It’s open from 6pm to 6am, but arriving early achieves nothing here.
Crazy Horse Paris, Champs-Elysees
€€€€ | Cabaret, late-night
Not a traditional night-out venue, but something oh-so French. One of Paris’s most celebrated cabarets, open since 1951 and still the most talked-about night of any hen weekend that commits to it. It’s pricey of course, but the experience at Crazy Horse is truly one-of-a-kind. Champagne, velvet seats, performances that are equal parts glamorous and scandalous; and a room that goes noticeably quiet when the lights go down. Less sweaty bar, more polished and theatrical.
Good to know: Book the 23:45 show and upgrade to the Champagne package for the best value. €139 but you get half a bottle of champagne along with your ticket, which is cheaper than buying drinks.
Pachamama, Bastille
€€€ | Restaurant, DJs, dancing
If you’ve asked TikTok where to go out-out in Paris, you’ve almost certainly been told to go to Pachamama; a six floor club and one of the few cases where the obvious recommendation is actually good. Just know it’s three floors, not six, but it’s full. Full volume, full of people and full of good, happy vibes. There is a restaurant if you want to do vibey dinner in Paris the way it was intended: good food, dancing on tables and then a night that doesn’t stop there.
Good to know: It gets going late; don’t come here early and expect much. It’s also €20 entry on the door, and needs to be paid in cash.
Silencio, Rue Montmartre
€€€€ | Members club, DJs
Silencio could be the best (or alternatively) worst nightclub experience imaginable in Paris. The members’ club on Rue Montmartre is designed to make you lose track of time: mirrored walls, low lighting, and music that keeps the whole place feeling slightly hypnotic. Open to non-members after midnight, which means the crowd is self-selecting (and so are the bouncers). Once inside, it’s small, packed and yet, undeniably chic. Less obvious big night out, more try your luck and tick it off the bucket list.
Good to know: The door is selective and not a guarantee; confidence helps.
Bonnie Paris, Le Marais
€€€€ | Rooftop, DJs
If the brief is se the eiffel tower from the club, then Bonnie it is. This red-lit club on the 16th floor of a SO/Paris hotel in the Marais boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, city views, and a cult following. It’s definitley a more chill crowd than the likes of Pachamama, and also skews a little bit older, which is sometimes exactly what you want. It’s aesthetic, chic and perfect for the girls that like house music.
Good to know: Behave in the queue: if you’re under 21 or obnoxiously British (if you know what I mean) then there’s a good chance it’ll be a no.
Caveau de la Huchette, Latin Quarter
€€ | Live jazz, dancing
The viral jazz cellar in the Latin Quarter that’s been running since 1946: underground, tiny, and entirely serious about the music. Live bands play while couples swing dance around the floor like it’s still mid-century. Caveau de la Huchette isn’t Parisian chic; it’s hyped, absolutely packed and often filled with tourists… but if you’re a tourist, then it’s also one of the funnest nights you’ll have. Completely different to everything else on this list, and one of the best things a hen group can do.
Good to know: It gets packed fast and personal space goes early, that’s part of it. It’s warm. Really warm. If you want the same vibe, but with more space, try Caveau des Oubliettes.
Le Comptoir General, Canal Saint-Martin
€€ | Bar, DJs
For somewhere that doesn’t take itself too seriously, try Le Comptoir Général: a bar in the loosest of terms in a 7000 square feet jungle warehouse tucked behind a dark green gate by Canal Saint-Martin. Afro-Caribbean decor, mismatched furniture, dim lighting, people drifting between rooms and out toward the canal, rum cocktails still in hand. Looser than the chic clubs and deliberately so — conversations run long, DJ sets start and then your on your feet without ever planning to be. It’s not just a bar, it’s a full sensory experience.
Good to know: It builds slowly, give it time before writing it off.
Nonsense, Montmartre
€€€ | Jazz bar, late-night club
In the basement of Hôtel La Bohème on Place du Tertre, Montmartre, a commitment in itself and worth making. The space runs as a 1920s-inflected jazz and cabaret venue until midnight: low ceilings, deep red lighting, gilded details, plush rococo furniture, live music that takes the whole thing seriously. At midnight it shifts. DJs take over, the room — which was already full and already up for it — gets wilder. Two entirely different nights in the same space, and both of them work. Open until 4am. Ouch.
Good to know: Arrive for the jazz half rather than skipping straight to the club — the shift at midnight lands better when you’ve been there for it.
