Irish or British pubs (or so-called) are not lacking in Paris. I would say that there are 3 types of such bars:

- Genuine: which attract loads of expats and show mostly UK and Ireland sport (and in which you won’t be easily understood if you order in French)

- Fake ones which try to reproduce style and atmosphere without succeeding

- Finally, a third category, which doesn’t try to seem genuine, but which manage to develop their own character.

The Gentleman belongs to the third category. There, like in many pubs, you’ll find a Guinness sign outside, most beers on tap and ordered in pints (not “demis”), service only at the bar, and TVs showing live sports. But here the crowd and the staff are mostly made of young, French students (acknowledging the proximity of most of Latin Quarter universities) plus Erasmus ones attracted by the very cheap prices for the area and relaxed atmosphere.

The pub, although small, is divided into three different sections with different atmospheres: the noisy area along the bar with mostly standing people (good for interactions and chatting); the main room, with tables, chairs, and sometimes even a singer, frequented by small groups of friends; and the first floor, quieter (even if the proximity of toilets brings unexpected animation), for private parties or more intimate meetings.

Bar gets crowded between 19:00 and 22:00 but when happy hour ends it becomes easier to get a table and relax, although pints are more expensive then.

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The Gentleman | Bars, Music | Pint of lager (happy hour) € 3.50
3 rue Hautefeuille | Quartier Latin | +33140510404
12:00 – 01:45 daily

Had enough of the city centre? In the Rue de Bagnolet, 20th arrondissement, you can really enjoy a night out. Here are 2 cool places. One is a concert hall Fleched’Or (102 Bis, rue de Bagnolet) and the other is bar Le Piston Pélican. So you can combine the two, but also stay at the bar Le Piston Pélican- things are going on here as well-exhibitions, concerts. Or if you prefer no „events”, a drink at the Pélican can be just enough.

Piston Pélican is a mixture of a local friendly bar, arty on one side, style bistro Parisien on the other. It’s unusual and original, like it’s name. Le Piston means a person that is a connection in “the right places” so nepotism in the hands of pelican.

They have benches with art deco designed tables, in combination with some parodic arty works gets ironic-collage impressions. The cooked eggs at the counter are a funny detail as well as the Pelicans drawings on different parts in the bar.

The atmosphere is friendly, crowded on weekend nights when there are concerts or DJ’s. Other days are calm but not boring, with selected music.

Pelican is not going to disappoint.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/pistonpelican

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Le Piston Pélican | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Pint (happy hour) € 3.50
15, rue de Bagnolet | Belleville/Nation | +33143711576
Mon – Fri 08:30 – 02:00, Sat 10:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

La Bellevilloise is one of the important night life spots in Paris. There are lots of places where you can “live” culture during the day in the city, however the night palette of this kind is not so easy to find.

In today’s version Bellevilloise was opened in 2005 on the spot where there used to be (in 1877) an after Parisian-Commune worker’s cooperative. In those days it was dedicated to education and animation of the workers living in the area.

Today, the place took the same name and the motto is “dedication to light and creation”. Although nowadays you will meet mainly “bobo”(bourgeois boheme) public, but not exclusively.

There are different things going on even at the same time, as it is a music club, an exposition place, a bar and a restaurant with the stage (separated in 4 different rooms). From exhibitions, rock or world music concerts, to dj-ing, interactive workshops, film festivals to even bio markets there is always something interesting to participate in.

Once you are in rue Boyer you surely won’t miss a good concert, either in the nearby club la Maroquinerie (23, rue Boyer) or in La Bellevilloise. The pleasant choice is yours.

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La Bellevilloise | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Festivals & events
19,21 rue Boyer | Belleville/Nation | +33146360707
Wed – Fri 17:30 – 00:20, Sat – Sun 11:00 – 02:00

Popular Fathers is a likable coffee-bar, where you’ll feel cosy and homey. Now open for a year and a half, it took the place of another coffee shop. Today it’s a spot where you can enjoy live concerts twice a week, have lunch (during the week only) or just come to savor the atmosphere or enjoy, for Paris, pretty low prices.

The original interior will remind you of a winery transformed into a living room, topped off by the small performance stage.

The staff is approachable and casual, nonchalant, the atmosphere unpretentious and lively.

Concerts are indie rock style, and you can check upcoming concert events on their Myspace .

Armchairs and colourful lamps will make you feel as though you’re in an extension of your own home. Don’t be deceived by the exterior: once you’re inside, you’ll be charmed by the diverse clientele of all ages, the school tables and wooden trays, and other details that will draw your attention with their unusual, but not excessive, touch.

In a search for good mood and cheap drink, or if you find yourself en route to Montreuil, Popular fathers is definitely worth a visit.

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Les Pères Populaires | Bars, Music | Coffee € 1.00
46, rue de Buzenval | Belleville/Nation | +33143484922
08:00 – 02:00 daily

This is a place that doesn’t really need advertising; it is well known to Parisians and their guests. Whenever I came in the evenings, there were more people than actual room for them, and the crowd is very diverse.

The atmosphere is very easy going and nonchalant, it makes you feel like it is the weekend all the time. Especially during the spring and summer period, when the spacious terrace reminds of Mediterranean bars. Lively and vibrant, calm and relaxing in the same time, it doesn’t have a typical big city flair, because it is retracted from the main big streets.

The surroundings are attractive so you have a real choice of bars to visit and check if they are your cup of bar or not.

It is positioned near the “bobo” trendy Rue Oberkampf where there are some nice places too, but this little enclave of original somehow eccentric mix of non pretentious yet special group of bars is a one of a kind.

People come to Lou Pascalou from different parts of Paris (I travel for about 40 minutes, but never regret the trip) but it has also has the image of a neighbourhood bar. During the day neighbours come with their kids playing around, usually well known to the bar owner.

It is not only a place to drink and talk – its specialty is different exhibitions and concerts that take place here. Exhibitions change monthly and concerts are held once a week, usually at weekends.

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Lou Pascalou | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Half-pint of beer € 3.00
14, rue des Panoyaux | Belleville/Nation | +33146367810
09:00 – 02:00 daily

Venturing out to the rue des Rigoles may seem like a lot of effort but don’t be put off by the location, Les Trois Arts is truly a gem. With Balkan troupes, jazz quintets, chanson française as well as literary soirées and story telling, its about as eclectic as it gets.

The venue attracts a happy mix of people. Plus, the musicians (often quite weird and wacky types) usually hang around after the concerts drinking with the audience. Simple food is available too, from shareable stuff like cheese plates, salads and a plat du jour for the bargain price of € 8.

Many of the concerts are free. If not, entrance is never more than € 5.00 and its a good idea to arrive early as the basement room fills up quickly making it difficult to get a seat. Their website contains information concerning concerts, location and so on.

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Les Trois Arts | Bars, Music, Snacks, Restaurants (French) | Beer (demi) € 3.00
21 Rue des Rigoles | Belleville/Nation | +33143493627
Tue – Sat 17:00 – 00:00, Sun 17:00 – 21:00

I love a terrace-pavement, by which I mean a pavement with a few chairs on it outside a bar. There’s something marvelous about the constant risk of falling in the road and the necessity to sit almost uncomfortably close to your own and other people’s friends. Anyone would think I crave attention…

Anyway, unlike some of Montmartre and the nearby Sacre Coeur, the Rendez-vous is scarcely tainted by the hoards of tourists. At first glance, the cool air of the place and almost exclusively French crowd can seem a little intimidating, persist though and you’ll find the atmosphere rather more relaxed and friendly.

Happy Hour (20:00 – 22:00) sees beers (pint) at € 5 and a bottle of house wine (50cl) at € 10. Baguettes as long as your arm packed with meat, cheese or paté cost € 5, salads are around € 10 as are charcuterie/cheese boards.

On weekends bands play (anything from chanson to jazz-funk or rock) in the low ceilinged back-room – entrance is usually free. To sum up, Au Rendez-Vous des Amis is just that, a low-key venue, a lovely spot to have a drink with friends and a likely place to make some new ones.

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Au RDV des Amis | Bars, Music, Snacks | Baguette € 3.50
23 rue Gabrielle | Montmartre/Clichy | +33146060160
08:30 – 02:00 daily

With large pitchers of beer at € 15 apiece all night long, it is easy to discern the Pop-In’s continuing popularity. Aside from this, the tiny and eccentrically laid-out bar (note the odd use of stairs!) boasts a quirky array of mismatching furniture complimented by a diverse clientele.

Performances by some of Paris’s coolest new bands (plus lots of other European bands) feature weekly and the crowd tends towards the so-called ‘bo-bos’(bourgeois bohemian). The Pop-In can get very busy – the basement is an infamous sweat-box – in spite of which the atmosphere always seems to err on the side of fun.

Check out their MySpace page for details of concerts and the like: http://www.myspace.com/pop_in

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Le Pop-In | Bars, Music | Beer (pitcher) € 13.00
105 rue Amelot | Marais/Bastille | +33148055611
Tue – Sun 18:30 – 01:30

Run by Usines Éphémère – a not-for-profit organisation that converts wastelands into cultural centres for young artists – the Point Éphémère is a cafe, nightclub, exhibition centre and concert venue all rolled into one.

Artists’ and musicians’ studios and workshops are also housed there making it one of the most innovative cultural projects in Paris today.

Simple food and relatively inexpensive drinks are available until late and the canal-side terrace is a great hang-out and a perfectly protected sun-trap – complete with outdoor heaters and winter coverings.

Leaflets and flyers with information on concerts/club nights and exhibitions can be found in almost all bars and on their website. For club night’s on weekends there’s usually quite a big queue so either get there early (pre 23:00) or expect a bit of a wait. 

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Point Éphémère | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Snacks, Festivals & events | Club nights € 10.00
200 Quai Valmy | Belleville/Nation | +33140340248
13:00 – 02:00 daily (later if there’s an event/concert on)

The café Chéri(e) is superbly dilapidated. Gleaming in red fairy lights it seems at once a very seedy Scout hut and a modestly trendy watering-hole for Belleville’s trendy types.

Characteristic of the neighborhood, it’s busy morning till night with sleepy students, artists and locals seeking peace and coffee in the morning and a louder more raucous crowd of party-goers later on. 

DJs play at the weekends, but don’t expect international names, in keeping with the generally low-key style, the DJs appear to be locals and friends.

During the day the terrace, consisting mainly of old school desks with rickety lids and inkwells packed in together, makes a great place for a rest in the sunshine with an aperitif. You can also buy inexpensive Asian style snacks.

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Café Chéri(e) | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Cocktails € 7
44 Bld. de la Villette | Belleville/Nation | +33142020205
08:00 – 02:00 daily