WELCOME TO PARIS
PROGRAMME
WELCOME
Goodminton, Sitébad and Acrobad are happy and proud to
welcome you to the ParisBAD 2011 gay badminton tournament .
19h00-23h00
To allow you to make the most of this sportive and festive long
weekend, ParisBAD 2011 has innovated ! Say good bye to the
sports hall in the outer regions of Mongolia and say hello to a real
sports complex in the heart of the Paris with 2 full days of
competition offering you more games, more partners, more fun.
9h00 – 18h00
A big thank you to all of you for coming in such large numbers.
Thanks also to everyone involved in the organisation of this event :
our partners, volunteers, housing hosts, our translator and all the
others…
This guide contains all the useful information you need to make
sure you have a great time in Paris.
Happy reading,
Best wishes,
The Goodminton, Sitébad and Acrobad staff
COMPETITION
Thursday 30th June
Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd July
Centre sportif universitaire Jean Sarrailh
30 avenue Georges Bernanos – 75 005 Paris
THE PARTY
Saturday 2nd July
22h30 till dawn
THE BRUNCH
Sunday 3rd July
12h00 – 14h30
PRICE
Player package : 37 € (party + competition)
Non-player package : 17 € (party + lunches)
For the optional brunch : + 20 €
COMPETITION
Centre sportif universitaire Jean Sarrailh
30 avenue Georges Bernanos – 75 005 Paris
Access
RER
- line B : station Port-Royal
BUS
- line 38 (Porte d'Orléans-Gare du Nord) : bus-stop ObservatoirePort-Royal or Val de Grâce
- line 91 (Bastille-Montparnasse) : bus-stop Observatoire-Port-Royal
- line 83 (Friedland-Haussmann-Porte d'Ivry) : bus-stop
Observatoire-Assas or Observatoire-Port-Royal
Vélib' (bike rental)
- station n°5029 at 41 avenue Georges Bernanos
Also nearby
- station n°5004 at 272 rue Saint-Jacques
- station n°6018 at 13 rue Michelet
- station n°14004 at 111 boulevard Port-Royal
- station n°14111 at 18 rue Cassini
Levels
- A + : elite players (equivalent to FFBA level A & B)
- A : experienced tournament level players (equivalent to FFBA
level C or D1)
- B+ : advanced level club players (equivalent to FFBA D1/D2/D3 or
even D4)
- B - : intermediate level (equivalent to FFBA D4/Unclassified)
- C + : less experienced recreational players
- C - : complete beginners
Registration
- singles :
- mixed doubles :
- doubles :
Friday 1st July
Friday 1st July
Saturday 2nd July
8h30
11h30
8h30
Warning ! Failure to arrive on time may lead to disqualification.
RULES
It is essential to respect the times for registration at the sports hall.
Failure to arrive on time may lead to the application of penalties
including the possible disqualification from the day’s competition.
The shuttles are provided be the organisers. The A+, A and B +
levels will play with feather shuttles. Please note that shuttles are
not provided for the warm-ups. The other levels will play with
plastic shuttles.
Depending on the number of players certain levels may be grouped
together.
For all levels and categories, preliminary rounds will be played in
round robin format and, whenever possible, all players will go
through to the final knock out rounds.
Unless otherwise specified, matches will be played in one set of 21
points with no setting, and the finals will be the best of 3 sets with
setting.
At the registration each player will receive a bottle of water. A
lunch pack will be served during the midday break. A cafeteria is
also available throughout the day.
It is strictly forbidden to eat inside the sports hall except in the
cafeteria area. Only bottles of water are authorised on the courts.
We would ask you to respect the premises and keep them tidy. Any
damage to the sports hall and its equipment may lead to civil or
criminal prosecution. The tournament organisers and the Jean
Sarrailh University sports centre do not accept responsibility in the
event of accident, injury, loss, theft, or any other harm. It is the
responsibility of each competitor to take out an individual
insurance policy.
The Bad.fr sports shop will also be present with a selection of
sporting goods and a racket restringing service.
Have a good match !
THE PARIS NEIGHBOURHOODS
The Bling-Bling Right Bank
Metro : Etoile, F. Roosevelt, Concorde, Palais Royal ; 1st & 8th arrondissements
Luxury hotels (don’t miss the ever so cosy Raphaël*** bar), luxury
boutiques – Dior, Hermès, Prada, Cartier, Vuitton and its pseudo arty floor
– luxury avenues, luxury cars, luxury flats…. In short, 100% in your face
luxury. Just one bit of advice ; if you go out here at night don’t forget your
slinky Roberto Cavelli leopard dress and your sparkling diamond Rolex.
Recommended walks : from the top of the Arc de Triomphe, admire the
view of the Haussman cut stone buildings: everything if plush, rectilinear,
and bourgeois. Walk down the Champs-Élysées, stop off at MacDonald’s
with the hordes of suburban scum, unless of course you go into one of the
VIP clubs. Strut down Avenue Montaigne to buy a pair of Jimmy Choo
shoes for your Russian tart and gaze in ecstasy at the flood-lit Place de la
Concorde. When you arrive in the 1st arrondissement your eyes will
sparkle in front of the wealthiest jewellers’ and the exquisite Vendôme
square. Brief detour to the Tuileries gardens and the Royal Palace (oh,
those lovely Buren columns!), then stroll down the Rue Saint-Honoré:
Chantal Thomas***, the sexiest underwear in Paris, the shop of the
madcap John Galliano**, the ever so chic luggage maker Goyard**,
Colette** the ultra ultra fashionable concept-store with its disdainful sales
assistants, its competitor Maria Luisa***, much less well-known but so
much classier.
The eternal and aristocratic Left Bank
Metro : Champ de Mars, Invalides, St Sulpice, St Germain, Odéon, Maubert
5th, 6th and 7th
Yet more luxury. Of course there is the compulsory trip to the Eiffel Tower
in the heart of the 7th district with its concentration of private residences,
ministries and embassies. After this brief excursion into one of Paris’ most
aristocratic and dead neighbourhoods, head for St Germain des Près via
the Rue St Dominique and the Boulevard Saint-Germain. The intellectuals
left a long time ago but the area still remains as magical and attractive as
ever. Highly polished building facades for the wealthy clientele. The
quintessence of parisianism : white teeth, combed hair and pert little
buttocks. Everyone is young, rich and beautiful. Beverly Hills with the
French Touch ! To check them out, nothing beats the terrace of the Bar du
Marché**. Just behind this is the Rue de Seine with its art galleries. Walk
up Rue St André and quickly cross through the St Michel district. It may be
interesting from an architectural point of view, but it’s just another tourist
trap swarming with rednecks. Go on to discover the student quarter in the
5th. Like its cousin the 6th, it’s teeming with cosy little bars, friendly
restaurants and historic alleyways frequented by the champagne socialists
and by the beautiful, insolent youth.
Not to be missed : the Rue de Bucci with its cool adjoining cafés, such as
Les étages* or la Palette* where you can check out the clientele who look
as though they’ve walked straight out of a D&G ad; the festive alleyways
of Saint-Sulpice, the delicatessen in Bon Marché** (the Left Bank version of
Galeries Lafayettes), the very classical Luxembourg gardens (as you come
out of the sports hall), Rue Mouffetard with it’s shops, the Cluny Museum,
the Panthéon square and the monuments which surround it.
The enchanting islands
Metro : Cité, Saint Michel, 1st and 4th
The post card magic of Paris. Everything is perfect. Everything is a cliché.
Apartments with exposed oak beams with breath taking views of the Seine
River, 16th – 18th century private residences, alleyways from the Middle
Ages, suspension bridges, and historic monuments by the dozen.
Definitely not to be missed are the Place Dauphine, the St. Louis church
with its richly decorated interior, the flower market and, of course, the
sumptuous facade of Notre Dame – during the daytime or at night . Cross
the romantic bridge which links Ile de la Cité to Ile Saint Louis and taste
some of the best ice cream Paris has to offer at Berthillon*** and then sit
on the cobbled banks of the river where the Parisians gather for moonlit
picnics in the summer months.
The buzzing heart of Paris
Metro : Châtelet, Hôtel de Ville, St Paul, Etienne Marcel, Arts et Métiers
1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th
The area is traditionally divided into 3 areas, but today there are 4.
- The pedestrianised, über trendy Montorgueil shopping district. Its white
marble cobbles are subjected to the daily pounding of the boots and high
heels of the fashion addicts on their way to Kiliwatch*, with its high
priced vintage clothing, Diesel** with its eternal jeans, Marité et François
Girbaud**, the absolute masters of street wear and jeans in all its forms,
Kabuki*, the desperately Dior / Prada-like concept store, Yohji
Yamamoto*, the king of pure simplicity, KokonToZai** for cutting-edge,
often unwearable, fashion. For the typical French Touch, head to the now
classic Agnès B*, Claudie Pierlot**, Zadig & Voltaire*** with their lovely
pullovers, Maje*** for sexy dresses, Et Vous* for its chic and simple
Friday wear, Paul & Joe** with their slim cuts, Thierry Mugler*** for shirts
and jackets with a perfect cut. While you’re there, admire the elegant Place
des Victoires and the recently renovated Saint-Eustache church. Pop into
Stöhrer** and Rocher de cancale**. Behind their rich facades you will find
one of the oldest bakeries and cafés in Paris.
- The swarming Châtelet. Impossible to avoid it - it’s the starting point for
the Paris Monopoly. But stay away from the Rue St Denis and Rue de
Rivoli and seek out the few gay friendly streets. Admire the Saint Jacques
tower which has been cleaned at last !
- The Marais : Ah !!! The haven for the Jewish and gay population. But this
magnificent neighbourhood is not just limited to the Rue de Rosiers,
beautifully renovated and crammed with chic boutiques, nor the Rue
Sainte Croix de la Brettonerie. You have to stroll around the St Paul village
which houses numerous artist workshops and admire the superb historical
monuments which surround them. Walk along the Rue des FrancBourgeois flanked by private residences each one more elegant than the
next. Relax in the Place de Vosges, no doubt the most majestic square in
Paris. In the eyes of avant-gardes, though, its fame has made it too cheap
and touristy. As a result they have moved the fashionable Marais to the
Arts et Metiers neighbourhood and around the Picasso museum which till
now had been relatively untouched
- So welcome to the 3rd. Its renovated streets and polished facades are
bursting with young creators, artistic spaces, galleries, and “in” restaurants
– a real laboratory for hype and fashion trends. While you’re here, take
time to admire the many hidden private residences, as in the Rue Braque,
the instructive museum of Jewish history, the façade of the superb
building which houses the Arts & Métiers College and the nearby metro
station which was redesigned by its students.
Bastille, the yuppie proletariat
Metro : Bastille, Ledru Rollin, Charonne, Voltaire ; 11ème & 12ème
Until relatively recently this district was working class, but with the influx
of all the Bobos ( a sort of Parisian Bohemian yuppie) real estate prices
have gone sky high. East Paris has been contaminated. Some places
however have managed to keep their authenticity. But be careful on Friday
and Saturday nights. The Bastille column is encircled by hordes of tourists
and pseudo suburban scum all completely wasted and puking up their
kebabs and imitation sangria from the countless bars in Rue de Lappe and
Rue de la Roquette. The magic of this district can be found in the many
intimate passageways where craft workshops have been transformed into
designer lofts. Bastille can also be cool with its mixture of styles and
people, with designer boutiques like Isabelle Marant***, and with plenty
of friendly bars although they’re all fairly similar. The Pause café* and its
terrace full of wannabe starlets, the café de l’Industrie*, with its typical 11th
district spirit, la Fée verte** and les Anges**, 2 cool bars which both serve
good food… Check out Rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine with its numerous
furniture shops - a vestige of the 19th century craft industry, the mythical
bars le Sanz-Sanz* and Bario Latino*, and head to the Ledru Rollin
quarter. The same spirit as Bastille but better protected from the hordes.
Here too there is no shortage of bars especially around Rue de la Forge
Royale. Whatever you do, don’t miss the popular Aligre market, it’s the
cheapest in Paris and always heaving. It’s where the working class rubs
shoulders with the fashion crowd. For a real taste of Paris : order a plate of
oysters and a glass of red wine and slouch on the pavement (or in the
gutter when there’s no room!!) in front of the Baron Rouge**.
East Paris, the haven
Metro : Oberkampf, Belleville, République, Stalingrad, Jaurès
10th, 11th, 19th & 20th
Oberkampf the party animal : here you’ll find the cool students and the
thirtysomething ‘Bobos’ from Bastille, République and Belleville, the new
villages of the young bourgeois lefties with their unkempt hair in need of
causes to defend. Most of the action is around Rue Oberkampf and Rue
Saint-Maur, with the Charbon**, Chez Justine** or at Nouveau Casino**.
Afterwards treat yourself to the ultimate ‘Bobo’ trip. This involves heading
up the Saint Martin to the Villette reservoir. Stop off on the way at Chez
Prune**, if you can manage to find a place, at the chic, kitsch Antoine &
Lili**, then at the Point éphémère***, the bar/club with its dark London
atmosphere. Once you get to la Villette, former home to all the drug
dealers but now renovated just to keep the locals happy, take the boat from
the MK2 cinema, have a pram race with the other doting daddies, sprawl
out in a deck chair, play pétanque (French bowls) to the electro sounds at
the Bar Ourcq**. Be careful of the dress code ! Military jackets – the « I
knew Berlin in the 90’s » sort – are still « de rigueur ».
The popular grand boulevards
Metro Strasbourg St Denis, Bonne nouvelle, Barbès, Blanche ; 9th, 10th, 18th
You have the choice between :
- Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle and Boulevard Poissonière : Lots of clubs, and
not just good ones – far from it !! Nevertheless there is still the new Social
Club**, the Rex**, with the best sound system in Paris and the eternally
trendy Automatik. Check it out, apparently some evenings it’s actually
quite good and not full of hairdressers. Lots of late night bars as well. But
if you really don’t want to put up with the group of pre-pubescent
drunken English lager-louts, then your choice is more or less limited to
Delaville*. This is also theatre-land for those of you who like bedroom
farce and pathetic schoolboy humour which the French master so well !
- Boulevards de Clichy and Boulevard de Rochechouart. A descent into the
depths of human misery – but worth a look : concertos of car horns from
open top Mercedes ; gold toothed scum, cheap tarts à la Mariah Carey.
Add to this the coach loads of tourists pouring into the Moulin Rouge and
other cabarets, the sex bars, the fleapit sex shops disturbing the night with
their aging neon signs. Heaven! In this surreal world comfort can be found
in the Divan du Monde**, the club with eclectic sounds and world music
or in the mythical Élysée Montmartre*** host to excellent evenings
including gay ones.
The perched village of Montmartre and Abesses
Metro Abbesses, Lamarck Caulaincourt ; 18th arrondissement
It’s the countryside. There’s even a vineyard! Long ago adopted by artists
and over-mediatised by the film Amélie, this little corner of paradise has
maintained its magic despite the army of tourists during the day. Its
interlacing narrow alleyways, small houses, workshops, delicatessens,
trendy cafés, Bobo fashion boutiques, and never ending stairs… Avoid the
Sacré Cœur basilica- busy and boring. Quickly go through the Place du
Tertre – yes it’s pretty but totally superficial and overcrowded. It’s better
to just wander down the side streets at random and discover the real
delights of this village bordered by Rue de Caulaincourt. Let yourself be
tempted by the materials in Saint Pierre market.
So that leaves us with the 16th - strictly reserved for all social climbers but
home to many museums, the 17th - with the posh part around Plaine
Monceau with nothing of any interest and the « Bobo » part near
Batignolles, how original!, the 14th and 15th - the dormitory quarters of the
middle class, the 13th, - stay in the pleasant area around the Butte aux
cailles with lunch at Chez Gladines** rather than by the towers of
Chinatown.
GOOD ADDRESSES
LESBIAN BARS: an unfortunately rather limited choice
Rosa Bonheur***, 2 avenue de la Cascade, 19ème. In the heart of the parc
”Buttes Chaumont”, über trendy place. Bohemian yuppie, lesbian, gay,
straight.
Le Troisième Lieu***, 62 rue Quincampoix, 4ème. Known as the canteen for
the « Ginettes Armées » which is totally untranslatable ! But a very good
place...
Le 3W Café, 8 rue des Ecouffes, 4ème. How to put this… we prefer the bar
across the street.
Les Jacasses **, 5 rue des Ecouffes, 4ème. Yes this is the one we mean! So
don’t hesitate !
La Champmeslé*, 4 rue Chabanais, 2ème. A historical visit to the capital’s
oldest lesbian bar.
L’Unity Bar, 176 rue St Martin, 1er. Practical. It’s just a stone throw from
the Troisième Lieu.
We bitterly regret the closure of the excellent Pulp with its open evenings.
But there are still the Prima Notte*** reserved evenings which continue to
be a resounding success (www.primanotte.com)
GAY BARS: all concentrated in the centre of Paris
Les souffleurs***, 7 rue de la Verrerie, 4ème. The place to be. Straights,
lesbians, gays and sexy boys. So different, so 80’s. Rock and electro.
Freedj***, 35 rue Ste Croix de la Bretonnerie. Trendy and slightly bar on 2
floors with a young crowd. Very cute boys. Open from 6pm to 4am.
Le Duplex**, 25 rue Michel Lecomte, the bar which wants to be different :
rock music, art exhibitions. You talk philosophy. You drink wine.
Le Raidd Bar**, 23 rue du Temple, 4ème. The bar which everyone heads to
after midnight Loud, mind–numbing background music for a colourful
crowd. Cute guys. There’s even a muscle Mary working up a lather in a
shower cubicle! What will they come up with next ?
Le Banana Café*, 13 rue de la Ferronnerie, 1er. In the 90’s this famous bar
was centre stage for Parisian gay nightlife. The in-crowd has moved on.
The basement piano bar and the bling bling atmosphere remain.
Le Cox*, 15 rue des Archives, 4ème. Packed out at happy hour. Bad boy
beard and pint of beer are “de rigueur”. Queer but butch!
Le Mixer Bar*, 23 rue St Croix de la Bretonnerie, 4ème. For those who like
energetic music.
Open Café*, 17 rue des Archives, 4ème. For its strategic setting on the
corner.
Tropic Café, 66 rue des Lombards, 1er. For its terrace.
GAY FRIENDLY BARS : still in the centre
Café Beaubourg***, 43 rue St Merri, 4ème. The adulated Costes design. The
terrace for the ladies in Dior, the cosy, chic interior for intellectual poofters.
The place to read Paul Auster. So classy !
Les Marronniers***, 18 rue des Archives, 4ème. As with any Parisian terrace,
everyone is on show. They sit like sardines and flaunt their overly tight
Fred Perry. Good menu at reasonable prices.
L’Etoile Manquante**, 34 rue Vieille du Temple, 4ème. The owner knew he
was on to a winner. With the Petit Fer à Cheval, the Philosophes and the
Chaise au Plafond, all next to each other, he has rounded up all the cool
heterosexuals and their gay friends in the centre of the Marais. They serve
an excellent mojito and the toilets are worth a visit ! Intrigued?
La Perle**, 78 rue Vieille du Temple, 4ème. Rundown bar on the outskirts of
the Marais. This bar became the in-place for the fashion world, beautiful
people and the sexiest girls in Paris. Today it’s too well known and too
popular. Already yesterday’s news?
Le Lézard Café***, 41 rue Tiquetonne, 2ème. The bar where all the local
fashion queens from Montorgueil can be found. Tasty menu with very
reasonable prices.
Le Café**, 62 rue Tiquetonne, 2ème. Reasonable menu with reasonable
prices. Small and often noisy café. It’s the clientele which makes this place
what it is.
Wine & Bubbles***, 3 rue Française, 1er. 01.44.76.99.84. Trendy wine bar
with wine and champagne at competitive prices and platters of cut meats .
Perfect for hard-up trendies. Reservations recommended.
Andy Whaloo***, 69 rue des Gravilliers, 3ème. After midnight it’s a
scramble to get in. Chic ethnic décor and unusual musical sets. Try the
famous 404!
L’Imprévu Café*, 9 rue Quincampoix, 4ème. An unpretentious, cosy little
café.
L’apparemment Café**, 18 rue des Coutures St Gervais, 3ème. Take refuge in
this intimate café where you can while away the hours playing board
games.
Le Loir dans la théière**, 3 rue des Rosiers, 4ème. Nice little tearoom with
great cakes. Very sought after !
Le Café Marly**, 93 rue de Rivoli, 1er. Magnificent view of the Louvre and
its pyramid. So Chic ! But as for the service... at the price they charge you
would expect the smile to be included !
Le Fumoir***, 6 rue de l’Amiral Coligny, 1er. Here again you have a great
view of the Louvre and the 1st district Town Hall. Wood fittings, colonial
atmosphere. Chic and cosy with excellent cocktails. Prices more attractive
at happy hour. Can get busy.
RESTAURANTS (many of the above bars also serve food)
GAY RESTAURANTS
Le Dos de la Baleine**, 40 rue des Blancs manteaux, 4ème. 01.42.72.39.98.
Traditional French cuisine, warm welcome, reasonable prices. Reservation
recommended.
Le Loup Blanc***, 42 rue Tiquetonne, 2ème. 01.40.13.08.35. Without any
doubt a gay favourite. All the pleasure is in the plate. Reservation highly
recommended.
Le Petit Picard*, 42 rue St Croix de la Bretonnerie, 4ème. 01.42.78.54.03.
Good honest traditional cuisine, ideally situated which makes it very
popular.
Madame sans Gêne**, 19 rue de Picardie, 3ème. 01.42.71.31.71. Restaurant
for epicureans. Quality and quantity assured.
OTHER RESTAURANTS :
Le Bistrot Beaubourg***, 25 rue Quincampoix, 4ème. Simple French cuisine
at its best, checked tablecloths and steak and onions. A typical French
bistro with very, very competitive prices. Very busy but quick turnover.
Le Chartier**, 7 rue du Fbg Montmartre, 9ème. A Parisian institution. Huge
bistro with paper tablecloths and hordes of tourists. It fills your stomach.
Competitive prices and ultra rapid turnover.
The Little Italy Coffee*, 92 rue de Montorgueil, 2ème. Simple Italian cuisine
attracting a young trendy crowd. Often necessary to wait at the counter.
Le 404***, 69 rue des Gravilliers, 3ème. 08.26.10.09.84. Delicious tajines and
couscous in a magnificent private residence. Momo packs them in both
here and next door at the Andy Whaloo. It’s best to reserve.
Le Georges**, 19 rue Beaubourg, 4ème. 08.26.10.04.78. More hype from
Costes. Perched on the 6th floor of the Pompidou Centre with its post
industrial décor. It’s not cheap. So if you can’t afford the undeniably good
international cuisine, just head to the cocktail bar.
Le Dénicheur***, 4 rue Tiquetonne, 2ème. It’s really small but probably the
cheapest and friendliest restaurant in the centre of Paris.
Les Piétons***, 8 rue des Lombards, 4ème. Colourful and popular tapas bar.
Good atmosphere. It may not be Madrid but it imitates it well. Modest
prices.
Les Caves Saint Gilles*, 4 rue St Gilles, 3ème. A tavern where you squeeze
up to strangers on the long wooden benches. Spanish bodega atmosphere.
Le Bar à soupes*, 33 rue de Charonne, 11ème. Excellent and cheap. Perfect
for a diet !
Le Paris Hanoï**, 74 rue de Charonne, 11ème. Small successful Vietnamese
restaurant. You often have to wait.
Le Wok restaurant**, 23-25 rue des Taillandiers, 11ème. Staying in the world
food style. An over-internationalised purified décor.
Le Blue Elephant***, 43-45 rue de la Roquette, 11ème. 08.26.10.01.96. The
best Thai restaurant in Paris with its exotic decor. The best doesn’t come
cheap!
Yasube*, 9 rue Saint Anne, 1er & 2ème. A nice Japanese restaurant among the
countless others in this street !
Le Reflet*, 6 rue Champollion, 5ème. Rendezvous of students and cinema
lovers. Reasonable dishes at affordable prices.
Le Pré Verre***, 19 rue Sommerand, 5ème. 01.43.54.59.47. It’s best to reserve.
Subtle traditional cuisine with a daring mix of spices and flavours.
Le Toustem***, 12 rue de l’Hôtel Colbert, 5ème. 01.40.51.99.87. Reservation
necessary. The chef that everyone wants has at last opened a small
restaurant with accessible prices. Hélène Darroze has gone back to her
influences from the Basque and Landes regions. Subtle modern décor with
exposed oak beams and stone walls.
El Palenque**, 5 rue de la Montagne St Geneviève, 5ème. L’unico**, 15 rue
Paul Bert, 11ème. For carnivores who love good meat from Argentina.
CLUBBING
GAY CLUBS
Le Queen*, 102 avenue des Champs Élysées, 8ème. Unfortunately there’s not
much left of what was, in the 90’s, one of the best nightclubs in Paris, apart
perhaps from the eternal Over Kitch party every Sunday. At 3am Galia can
still be found sucking her lollipops !
Le Tango (la boîte à frissons) **, 13 rue au Maire, 3ème. Apparently gay
boys and girls never tire of old music. An inexpensive club where
everyone is welcome and where everyone can have fun.
Les Bains Douches*, 7 rue du Bourg l’Abbé, 3ème. The mythical club which
is constantly renewing itself to stay at the top with the return of the gay
nights. But as they say in French, “you don’t make the best jam in old jars”!
Le Club 18**, 18 rue du Beaujolais, 1er. Small, unpretentious and friendly
club.
Le CUD Bar**, 12 rue des haudriettes, 3ème. This bar has decided to stay
open all night. Free entrance. Guaranteed success . There’s a lot of choice
…but the music’s not that great!
La Scène Bastille***, 12 rue des Taillandiers, 11ème. When this place fills up
quickly it’s like being in a sauna but it has the best programme of gay
nights. Good music and the crème de la crème of gay clubbers and their
straight friends.
Redlight**, 34 rue du départ, 14ème. House and techno.
IN CLUBS
Le Show Case, pont Alexandre III, 8ème. The latest playground for the
snotty upper-class. They think its trendy but it’s only for fans of Sarko’s
sons.
Le Cab’*, 2 place du Palais Royal, 1er. Admittedly it’s full of rich, young,
bimbos and wankers but the setting is magnificent. Designed by Ora Ito.
Sometimes plays host to some very good DJ’s.
Le Baron*, 6 avenue Marceau, 8ème. This former sex bar with its red velvet
cabaret décor was the ‘hype’ place of the season. But the seasons change.
Nevertheless, still just as successful.
Le Paris Paris**, 5 avenue de l’Opéra, 1er. The most fashionable and hype
club in Paris. Wall to wall trend setters and designers. But a word of
warning; the programming tries so hard to be cutting edge that it
sometimes verges on the ridiculous!
Social Club***, 142 rue Montmartre, 2ème. The Triptyque is dead. Long live
the Social Club. It has continued in the same vein of well selected electro
in a retro futuristic universe (yes I know, don’t ask – it’s conceptual!)
Le Rex Club**, 5 bvd Poissonnière, 2ème. The capital’s best sound system.
Techno club with an excellent international programming.
Le Batofar**, 11 quai François Mauriac, 13ème. The fashion phenomenon
has passed but the red barge is still well anchored. Soul, funk, drum,
electro, techno. ‘Le must’, the riverbank terrace in summer.
Point éphémère***, the bar/club with its dark London atmosphere. Selected
electro and the best of the straight peoples.
SAUNAS : only 2 are worth a visit
Sun City**, 62 bvd de Sébastopol, 3ème. Huge. Swimming pool and rich
Indian decor. Kitsch but nice. Packed on Sundays – just like most saunas.
Gym Louvre**, 7 rue du Louvre, 1er. Big and cold. Well equipped gym with
the latest fitness machines but don’t pretend that’s why you’re here!! Great
looking guys straight out of a Calvin Klein ad. Word of warning: try not to
let them talk - it’ll shatter your illusions!
CULTURE, you never know !
Musée du Louvre, 9h-17h30 (except Tuesday), Wednesday and Friday 9h21h30. 99 rue de Rivoli, entrance by the pyramid. No need to present this
temple of culture. Free entrance the 1st Sunday of each month!
Musée des arts et civilisations – Quai Branly, 11h-19h (except Monday)
Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11h-21h. 55, quai Branly, 7ème. Magnificent
building perfectly designed by Jean Nouvel to house world cultures. The
Asian part is a little disappointing but the Oceania and African culture
sections are fantastic.
Musée national du Moyen-Âge – Hôtel de Cluny, 6 place Paul Painlevé,
5ème. 9h15-17h45 except Tuesday. Grand historical monument which hides
extraordinary rooms.
Palais de Tokyo, 13 av. du Président Wilson, 16ème. 12h-midnight except
Tuesday. The temple of international hype with its great heights and post
industrial communist look. The place for events and happenings of all
sorts. Currently housing the mega conceptual Loris Géraud exhibition – a
young, contested, French artist, winner of the Prix Ricard 2005
Maison européenne de la photographie, 5-7 rue de Fourcy, 4ème. 11h-20h
except Monday and Tuesday. Beautiful private residence in the heart of
the Marais with its Japanese style stone garden. Always one or more top
quality exhibitions.
La Fondation Henri Cartier Bresson, 2 impasse Lebouis, 14ème. 13h-18h30
except Monday, Wednesday 13h-20h30, Saturday 11h-18h45. Discover the
works of the greatest French photographer and the excellent temporary
exhibitions.