bettyo70

Hi Kate,

BeatChick always has great, fun Paris ideas. Hi, BeatChick!

If you can, check out the "Time Out: Paris" guide for endless ideas regarding evening entertainment. They are a great source.

I got a bunch of listings for Parisian "chansons" and cabaret clubs. Enjoy!

Beatchick

Hey Betty, thanks! Did you ever decide if you were going to do the Jim Hayne's dinner party thing? Kate, we were discussing that on another thread. Maybe someone can top that for you or you could do a search on his name. There's only a few threads regarding the Sunday Dinner soirées.

ciao,
Mary

bettyo70

Hi Mary,

Unfortunately the Jim Haynes dinner party may not work out this time. We have a pretty tight schedule: only 7 nights in Paris, and out of those days, 2 of them we will be daytripping to other parts of France.

However, we will be staying at Jeanne d'Arc because of your recommmendation and plan to do a lot of exploration of the Marais and Ile St. Louis. Wish I could stay there for a month!

Are you going to Jim's dinner on your next Paris trip?

I hope you report back if you do.

--Betty

cambe

Hi Indygirl.

As another fellow Solo traveller I suggest you go out to a nice restraurant and enjoy one of those wonderful long French Meals. I think it was Loveitaly who said on another thread on a similiar subject, dress up, shoulders back, walk in and knock em dead!! (or something like that). No one will notice you are on your own, they will just see this confident women. I am certainly going to try it!!

Have a great trip

Helen

rohani

How about taking in a show at either the Lido or Moulin Rouge?

adamsparks

Kate, I was out at 11:30 in the Metro. It could have happened anywhere---just one of those not so nice groups. I survived. But I would never stay out that late in Paris solo again. I really felt like I didn't have a very good handle on the night time stuff. I think you are doing the right thing in getting some ideas from this group. It should make for a good time and a plan of action!

Underhill

The Egyptian collection at the Louvre is wonderfully atomospheric in the evening--and you mostly have the place to yourself. It's interesting watching the guards "sweep" the museum at closing time (and imagining where thieves might hide!).

jebus

The www.palaisdetokyo.com (contemporary) is open until midnight (13, Ave president Wilson near Pont d'Alma). The art is pretentious, but the venue very relaxed and friendly. The exhibits change, so have a look at the website nearer the time to see if it there's anything of interest.

Beatchick

Cambe, that is excellent advice (by way of LoveItaly).

Betty, I have 2 Sunday evenings in Paris next trip. I definitely plan to use one of those nights to dine Chez Haynes. Also, nearby is the Villa Seurat where Henry Miller lived during his <u>Tropic of Cancer</u> days; I plan to check that out the same night as well.

Indygirl2, this is turning out to be a great thread with great possiblities. Good question!

Jebus, a friend of mine just returned from Paris a few days ago and she was recommending the Palais de Tokyo to me as well. For the curious, this place has nothing to do with orientalism at all, not even art.

bettyo70

Kate,

CHEZ ADEL in the 10th arrondissement is an informal restaurant/lounge/performance space that features gypsy music and French folk music.

10 rue de la Grange-aux-Belles
Metro: Republique

Travelnut

'Villa Seurat' - a private residence; if you go to the trouble of seeing it, then you might as well fold in a look at Parc Montsouris and walk thru les Buttes aux Cailles...

http://www.metropoleparis.com/2004/939/939cafe.html

http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/i...s/p24-04im.jpg

http://www.hotel-parc-montsouris.com...montsouris.htm

http://psac.uchicago.edu/blogs/Paris...s/Image47.html

http://www.metropoleparis.com/1996/60617017/butte.html

http://www.metropoleparis.com/2001/637/637caill.html

Travelnut

p.s. I meant my note above to be a followup to Beatchick's wish to see Villa Seurat...
personally, these visits would be best in the daytime - very quiet lanes, private homes, not much to see at night.

Christina

I think these are a lot of good ideas --beatchick has a lot of interesting things to do. I just wondered about her friend's comments, because I've been to the Palais de Tokyo which is a multi-use space that has a lot of art exhibitions, among other things, and I think is considered one of the best venues for contemporary art in Paris. So I wonder why her friend told her it had nothing to do with art.

I've been to a few of the places mentioned and think you could be okay going there alone, other women do, but you may be uncomfortable about it if you've never done this kind of thing before and feel anxious just about dining alone. For example, Caveau de la Huchette -- that is a jazz spot and gets crowded, and has both listening and some dancing. The main room is underground; as I recall, the upstairs is just a &quot;bar&quot; where you can order/pick up drinks (not a nice bar where you want to hang out), and where you pay admission, etc. Downstairs, there are some tables some seats, but a lot of people end up standing around the fringes, of course, as it gets crowded. Lots of guys will probably ask you do dance. If you can get over going in (it can be difficult for me when I cannot &quot;see&quot; inside a place to get a feel for it and you can't here), I think it will be okay because once you are down there, it's not too different as to whether you came alone or with friends, as far as milling around goes, if you aren't at a table. I was with friends, but was separated from them a lot, and could have been alone anyway and had bout the same experience. The only problem is if you want to dance, the usual about your things. When going out, I'd try to have minimal stuff on me (money, etc), that you can put in a small case in your pocket or something.

I wouldn't stay out any place real late, you have problems later on with various things, including transportation closing. Chez Adel mentioned above is a popular spot in the upcoming Canal St Martin area, but I really would not recommend you go out at night wandering the streets of the 10th alone, or around Republique. That isn't really that close to the Republique metro, either, it's 4-5 blocks away kind of in the middle of nowhere (closer to Bonsergent metro). I wouldn't go there myself at night alone.

I think it would help if you dined later on, for one thing, unless you just really prefer to eat very early and can't wait. I go to Paris alone a lot, but don't like dining early even at home, so never eat before 8:30-9, probably. I love classical music, so like to go to all the concerts in Paris and usually have trouble picking which ones to go to. But I might go to a concert, and then just a cafe for coffee/dessert afterwards. Of course, I feel comfortable just sitting in a cafe until midnight having a glass of wine or something, at least in the neighborhood I know and usually stay in. I may find someone to talk to, or just watch and think, or browse an entertainment guide planning my next days events, or browse the newspaper. Classical music concerts often don't get out until 10 or so, anyway, so dessert and a coffee afterwards could be enough to fill the evening. I know a lot of people don't like classical music that much, so one shouldn't go to things they don't really enjoy (I don't care for opera, myself).

I know one place you absolutely can be comfortable about and it's not closed but open to the outside -- that is Aux Trois Mailletz in the Latin Qtr. on rue Galande. This is basically an open cafe but has live music by a few performers. It's sort of an open-mike night in ambience, although I think those guys have been there a while and do it regularly (a female singer and an accompanist). It's not some great performance-- I didn't actually think the music was that good for various reasons, but it's something to do, no cover charge, and it is very casual and unpretentious.

I also like to go to the movies in Paris in a nice theater. I need a break to rest before the evening anyway, after running around all day, so I may go to a movie around 5:30-6:30 pm which is enjoyable but a rest (and not as crowded as in the evenings). Then, it is later to go to dinner when I get out.

I'm going to Paris this summer, but will only be there 4-5 days so am having trouble fitting in all the things I want to do each night. Sundays are usually the deadest so I may try the Jim Haynes thing (that's a good tip, I wasn't aware of that). Classical music concerts in churches are usually the best thing on Sundays. Someone asked above about early in the week, and there is very definite lack of events in the early part of the week. Few clubs or places that even schedule casual concerts have things scheduled for Sun-Tuesday nights. There are always a few things, but not nearly as many.

As for my own plans, I have a ticket to the National Orchestra of France on Friday night at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees where I've always wanted to go to see the design/architecture, as well as hear a performance. Saturday night I have a ticket to a small theater/club where Maxime le Forestier is doing a concert, an hommage to Brassens (he's a very well known French singer--well, both Forestier and Brassens). I assume that will be acoustic guitar music with the singing. He's doing a lot of performances in Paris, actually, for anyone else interested -- June through some time in July -- and tickets are only 35 euro.

Another night, I have a ticket to a theater/performance space in St Germain, Theatre de Nesle, where a singer/actress is doing a one-woman show kind of thing that is an hommage to the history of St-Germain. It's gotten decent writeups, and is some singing of those old French chanson songs (Piaf, etc), as well as some dramatic readings of poetry, I gather. I think one could enjoy that even if they didn't understand French, just for the singing, if nothing else. I don't know if any will be in English. That is only 16 euro, and it's a multi-use venue that has a sit-down theater space for this show. They have a website with events (mostly French theater) www.galeriedenesle.com The show is named &quot;Les Annees Saint-Germain&quot; and is every Monday night, at least now.

I think any of the regular concert/theater things where you have audience seats in rows is just normal for a single person to go to, and one can feel more comfortable there than you might at some club or place where everyone might be in couples at their own little tables or something. At least I do. I'm pretty used to doing things on my own, but I am also a little anxious or nervous about going in places that I can't see from the outside and don't quite know the ambience or seating arrangements, etc. So I understand that. That's one reason I love Paris so much, as it's so easy for a single woman to go to terrace cafes and things like that which we don't have so much in the US.

I think Sept Lezards jazz club over on rue des Rosiers in the Marais is one of the most casual or comfortable for a single woman. I haven't been to tons of them (jazz boites), but it is casual and just kind of open to the street.

As far as world music, that is also something I love. They have live music sometimes at the Cafe des Phares on the west side of place de la Bastille, and I really like hanging out there, that's easy as it's just a cafe. They had a Brasilian group when I was there last summer. I find out about things like that by just reading Pariscope entertainment guide listings, and I know that isn't as easy for someone to find out things to do if they can't read a little French.

For some world music, I know a tapas bar that has live Latin music and it has a web site so you can get an idea of the place. www.casadelcampo.fr I think that looks like a pretty comfortable bar place for someone to casually drop inh. That's near the big dept. stores (Chausee d/Antin metro).

Another place for world music is the Satellit cafe in the Oberkampf area in the 11th arr, but it is an area with a lot of people around and very near a metro stop, so I wouldn't worry about going there at night alone. They have a website with program listings and it should give you an idea of the place www.satellit-cafe.com

The Bodeguita del Medio at 10 rue des Lombards (near Chatelet metro in the 4th) has live Latin music every night but Sundays. I think it's mainly Cuban -- I haven't been there but read it's gotten a lot more expensive and is too &quot;touristy&quot; now, but I've seen it and think it would be a casual, comfortable place to go.


I haven't been here, but am thinking of it -- Le Train de Vie at 85 rue de la Verrerie in the Marais (near Hotel de Ville/Chatelet metro). They have world music on Wed-Sunday, I've seen programs with Klezmer music there. That's near the Jewish historical area and the Jewish museum, so it could be they specialize in that type of thing (not sure, I haven't been there, only seen listings). It's also a bistro where you can eat.
http://parisvoice.com/00/dec/html/feature.cfm

Upon trying to find a link for that, I ran across this article in English which mentions several of these places (some I named, Chez Adel and some Beatchick named) plus others, so maybe that can give you an idea.

Scarlett

&quot;... the Palais de Tokyo, an art deco building that dates from 1937 and still looks rough and ready (note the concrete floor).

The Palais, which is right next door to the Museum of Modern Art at the Trocadero, has opened as a showcase for contemporary art.
The idea is to have no permanent collections, but to let experimental artists have somewhere in central Paris to express themselves, hence an opening full of “installation” and “interactive” art. &quot;

This is from the Economist.
I was puzzled myself, so checked to see if things had changed since this past March.. Glad to see that they have not.

Scarlett

FYI-
..the building was built for the Worlds Fair, thus the name Palais de Tokyo.

Beatchick

I'm sorry, Christina, I meant to say she said it has nothing to do with Oriental Art despite what the name would lead you to think! I guess I should have &quot;orientalism or its art&quot;. Thank you for the nice comments.

Thank you, Travelnut! That's a good idea! I do have a day set aside where I'll be exploring rue Mouffetard, Butte aux Cailles, Parc Montsouris and the Cimeti&egrave;re Montparnasse. Not having a map in front of me I thought the Villa Seurat would be too far away, hence the reason why I was peaking in before or after the dinner party at Jim Haynes. His home is just a few streets south. I will definitely be looking at those links. I appreciate you forwarding them to me.

Christina is right about not staying out tooo late. I don't usually stay out past 1am and even that late I want the place to be within walking distance from my hotel. I've considered going somewhere to stay out late and just take the 5:30am M&eacute;tro home. But with jetlag &amp; all that plus the eagerness to get up early &amp; look at everything I'm not sure I'll have the energy to do that. But I'll be there 16 days so perhaps I might do it that last Saturday night. Some of the jazz places stay open super late such as Le Franc Pinot (which, incidentally, does a Sunday Brunch) on the Ile St-Louis.

I have more comments to make regarding Christina's post but that'll have to wait until later. Good, interesting stuff, Christina.

ciao,
Beatchick

acereid

You're wise to poll this forum since I always find the question of &quot;what to do at night&quot; exciting but at times disconcerting in a foreign city. One after dark suggestion I didn't read here yet was to take one of the Night Bike Rides offered by Fat Tires Bike Tours. We took their all-day Versailles tour on a market-day/Sunday this past April which was wonderful but ran out of time before we could take their fabulous sounding Night Ride around Paris. The thought of pedaling under the Eiffel Tower at night or around the open square of the Louvre after dark sounds magical. I only heard great things about this tour and I know, from experience this past trip and with their other outfit in Munich that these folks really know how to keep you safe as you pedal through a city, as well as entertained. The bikes are wonderful beach cruiser types so you needn't be an Olympic athlete to ride. It's my understanding that the night ride finishes with some wine &amp; a boat ride on the Seine. If you Google Fat Tires Bike Tours in Paris you'll find them. Good luck &amp; happy trails.

Nikki

Beatchick, I thought we were having our GTG your last Saturday night. All these ideas sound great.

Beatchick

Mais oui, Nikki! I can still do the GTG &amp; tromp around Paris by night, too! If you're up to it (and we can always decide later) you can join me.

Indygirl2

Wow! I am so grateful to all of you for taking the time to provide such insightful answers to my questions. Now it's just a matter of coming up with a &quot;plan of attack.&quot; I used to post on another travel board and never got this kind of response to my questions. What did people do before the Internet?

Thanks again. Come September, I'll definitely post a trip report letting you know how my evenings went.

Kate