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Paris Nightlife Review: La Guillotine Pub

// December 18th, 2009 // Comments // Nightlife

There is never a shortage of visitors when you live in Paris, but when the visit is unexpected it is that much more enjoyable. Such was the case when my cousin Robb wrote me an e-mail one day before his arrival telling me he would be in Paris for work. Though the visit was supposed to last 3 days, it has now been drawn out to almost a week and a half. Needless to say, we have had the chance to explore a few new places in Paris during his stay.

Our latest discovery was a small bar/jazz club named La Guillotine. From the exterior, it’s a pretty unassuming bar–dimly lit and small, but cozy. The bar itself is a pleasant place to grab a happy hour cocktail, with pretty reasonable drink prices. But the real appeal of this place is what lies beneath the bar itself–a small room called “Le Caveau des Oubliettes“. Translated into English this literally means “the cave of the forgotten”. The name is derived from the fact that during medieval times this cave held prisoners awaiting execution, via the guillotine, of course. A tight stone stairwell leads guests into a cave equipped with iron handcuffs, barred windows, and chains hanging from the walls. One can imagine this was a pretty unwelcome site for its former residents.

But while the cave has a long and dark history, today Le Caveau des Oubliettes provides its guests with a place where they can sit and be entertained, rather than executed. La Guillotine Pub regularly hosts jazz and blues artists from around the world. Guests sit only a matter of meters from the band as the sounds of the artists reverberate throughout the cave. Not for those who are claustrophobic, the cave is a tight space and you will certainly get to know the other guests very well (very close seating)–there are only about 12 tables in total. If you expect to get a good seat, I would recommend showing up 30-45 minutes early because once the door to the cave is opened the entire bar rushes down to get a seat. But once you’ve locked in that coveted seat (for free—no cover charge), you can sit back, relax and enjoy the atmosphere and great music.

Want to see this location on a map? Map of My Visits

Paris Nightlife Review: Le Cab (1st Arrond.)

// September 13th, 2009 // Comments // Nightlife

I’m not usually one for going out to a nightclub on the weekends, but after a fellow student from Alliance Francaise invited me to Le Cab, I though to myself “Why not give it a shot?” On top of that, the word on the street was that Pablo Picaso’s great grandson was DJing that night, which made the prospect of going out marginally more interesting.

Located in the 1st Arrondissement, Le Cab (short for Cabaret) is known to be an “ultra trendy and trés chic” nightclub just beside the Palais Royal. Not knowing what I was getting myself into, I looked up a few reviews on the club beforehand and all of them basically said the same thing–it’s a place where VIPs and fashionistas go to party the night away. Far from my scene, I showed up to the club at roughly 12am (when Le Cab opens) dressed to the nines. After having read numerous reviews about the ultra-strict door policy (one of the toughest in Paris supposedly), I was ready for a big hassle at the door. To my amazement, it was surprisingly easy to get in. If you’re not on “the list,” however, expect to pay a €20 cover-charge.

Once inside, Le Cab is just like you might expect a high-end club to be. White beds, lace curtains and purple ambient light surround the club. Plenty of trendy and pretty people occupy the surrounding tables, with many of them spending their time in the cordoned off VIP section. Be warned, drinks don’t come cheap, with just about any drink you want costing you €15 or more. (If you happened to pay the cover charge, you can use your stub for one free drink at the bar, however.) The dance floor is large and packed for most of the night. Le cab plays a variety of music, with most of is falling into the techno or dance-hit genre. If you’re lucky, they might throw something more interesting into the mix, as well.

For all the hype around this club, I can’t say I was overly impressed (then again, it’s not really my “scene”). You’ll find loud music, pretty people and an upscale atmosphere, but for the most part it isn’t much different than going to any other dance club, other than the fact that you’re in a “VIP” nightclub. It might be worth checking out once if you’re into the high-end club scene, but for those who are looking for a fun night out in Paris, I would spend my night (and money) elsewhere.