lonely planet

This converted music hall (once home to legends such as Edith Piaf and Yves Montand) is a genuine tower of Babel. Take a seat at one of the tables decorated with situationist mash-ups of popular culture icons, borrow a book (there’s a collection of Mills & Boon novels) or talk to your fellow drinkers. You have no idea who you might end up striking up a conversation with – a conceptual artist, the local Arab butcher or a Chinese lighter hawker. The coffee is strong, the Mojitos are more than potent and there’s just no where quite like this on the planet.

When Tokyo and New York meet Paris! Murano Urban Resort is a trendy bar located in downtown Paris. In the cocktail of life, Murano Urban Resort is an essential ingredient. Murano Urban Resort combines whiter-than-white décor enlivened by Pop Art. A clubby, vibrant atmosphere waits inside, with renowned resident DJs sending their sounds. The perfectly mixed cocktails are as tasty as the place is hip. It’s luxurious but still accessible if you just feel like a beer.

Of all the historic haunts, this is our favourite for its elegantly poured beers in long glasses, served by waiters wearing black waistcoats and long white aprons. Hemingway sang its praises in A Moveable Feast and today its faded glamour is neither too faded nor too glamorous but simply perfect. Stellar brasserie fare like pork knuckle, too.

In 12th century France, an oubliette (deriving from ‘oublier’, to forget) was where you put prisoners to forget about them. Nowadays, bohemian Parisians and travellers alike bring their troubles to this crowded, cobbled dungeon to forget about them. Every night, the beguiling strains of live jazz music intermingle with the subterranean glow of conversation. Let the heady champagne warmth of a Kir Royale intoxicate your senses into a state of sweet ‘dis-remembrance’. Guillotines and trapdoors remain as a sobering testament to the Caveau’s gory past. Beware those who try to leave, however; there’s no escaping an oubliette.

No mention of Montparnasse, once at the centre of Paris’ artistic endeavours, would be complete without Le Select. Opened in the mid-20s, it was the first of the area’s grande dame cafes to open late into the night and still draws everyone from beer-swigging students to whisky-swilling politicians.

Bars don’t come much hipper than this, even in the Bastille. Décor is industrial and uncompromising: high metal chairs, iron portholes, a scrap-metal serving counter and twisted metal artwork on the walls. All that plus a daunting cocktail menu make for an unpredictable night out. But get here early - Parisian high-life crowds in here as the night moves on.

Big it’s not, but that makes it all the more comfy. A long-standing favourite among foreigners and Parisians, Le Galway is nestled in a little hideaway on the left bank of the Seine, next to Place St Michel and the bustling Latin Quarter. It attracts a fantastic line-up of musicians and many nights of the week its large front window allows passersby to hear the pleasant sounds of chilled out acoustica. Consisting of two floors, the bar is ideal for having a quiet evening with friends, or jiving it up with friendly regulars from all over the world.

With its Philippe Starck-designed postmodern decor like iridescent champagne-coloured vinyl booths and garden gnome stools, Kong fills at night with Paris’ glam young set, who swill Dom Pérignon and dance badly. But the best time to visit this bar/restaurant/club atop the Kenzo building is at sunset, when you have magical views of the river.

Wonderful atmosphere, great wines, and beautiful art! A wonderful selection of wines available by the glass or bottle. Enjoy your wine sitting at the long polished oak bar, or in the cosier, romantic back dining room. The dining room has plenty of eye candy… it features the Willi’s Bottle Art collection. Since the early 1980’s a different artist has been commissioned each year to produce an image of Willi’s Wine Bar. The result is an eclectic, beautiful collection of art which is a wonderful treat for your eyes!