Paris_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Lonely Planet [208]
01 48 06 98 22; 76 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 10e; 10am-2am Sun-Thu, 11am-2am Fri & Sat; Parmentier
Slightly removed from the overexcitement of Oberkampf and with a slightly older crowd, this attractive corner café with high ceilings and a long, wooden bar is a happening but relaxed drinking space at night. It’s also a great café in which to hang out or read during the day. Downstairs is more animated, with occasional live concerts.
L’AUTRE CAFÉ Map Café
01 40 21 03 07; 62 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 11e; 8am-2am; Parmentier
A young mixed crowd of locals, artists and party-goers remains faithful to this quality café with its long bar, spacious seating areas, relaxed environment, reasonable prices and exhibition openings. It’s a great place to do a little work, and there is a small lounge upstairs.
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GARE DE LYON, NATION & BERCY
Once a desert when it came to drinking and carousing, Bercy is an increasingly happening place that draws in crowds for its cinemas and wine bars, though it’s a somewhat artificially created scene. Gare de Lyon and Nation are close to drinking spots in Bastille, and to the eastern side of the 11e (opposite).
BARRIO LATINO Map Bar
01 55 78 84 75; 46-48 rue du Faubourg St-Antoine, 11e; 11am-2am Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat; Bastille
Still squeezing the salsa theme for all that it’s worth, this enormous bar-restaurant with serious dancing – distantly related to Buddha Bar – is spread over three highly impressive floors. It attracts Latinos, Latino wannabes and Latino wannahaves. The delicious mojitos go down a treat.
LA LIBERTÉ Map Bar
01 43 72 11 18; 196 rue de Faubourg St-Antoine, 12e; 9am-2am Mon-Fri, 11am-2am Sat & Sun; Faidherbe-Chaligny
A delightfully messy bar infused with the spirit of the ’68 revolution, ‘The Liberty’ does simple meals and wine by day, and is a heaving mix of regulars and drop-ins, raspy-voiced arguments and glasses going clink by night. It’s the kind of place where bobos, artists and old rockers find their common point: a passionate love of drink and talk.
CHAI 33 Map Wine Bar
01 53 44 01 01; 33 cour St-Émilion, 12e; noon-midnight Sun & Mon, to 1am Tue-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat; Cour St-Émilion
The converted wine warehouses in Bercy Village house a variety of restaurants and bars, including this enormous wine-oriented concept space with a restaurant, lounge, tasting room and shop. Wine, both French and foreign, is divided into six colour-coded categories: purple is ‘fruity and intense’, green is ‘light and spirited’, yellow is ‘dry and soft’ etc. There are cocktails and decent food here, too, as well as two terraces.
LE VINÉA CAFÉ Map Wine Bar
01 44 74 09 09; 26-28 cour St-Émilion, 12e; 9am-2am Sun-Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat; Cour St-Émilion
The anchor tenant – or so it would seem – of the cour St-Émilion, this is a delightful wine bar/restaurant with a lovely terrace to the back facing place des Vins de France. There’s live music some nights and a popular brunch (€23) from noon to 4pm on Sundays.
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13E ARRONDISSEMENT & CHINATOWN
While Chinatown isn’t a hopping spot for bars, the area around the Butte aux Cailles, a kind of molehill southwest of Place d’Italie, has some good options. It is a pretty area that is popular with students and local residents: places in this area tend to have die-hard regulars.
SPUTNIK Map Bar
01 45 65 19 82; 14 rue de la Butte aux Cailles, 13e; 2pm-2am Mon-Sat, 4pm-midnight Sun; Corvisart or Place d’Italie
This large bar with wi-fi zone and a dozen machines to surf is far more than an internet café. With its buzzing pavement terrace on one of Paris’ hippest streets, Sputnik is a place to be seen. Students love it, particularly between 6pm and 8pm during happy hour.
THE FROG & BRITISH LIBRARY Map Pub
01 45 84 34 26; 114 av de France, 13e; mains €13.50, lunch menus €14; 7.30am-2am Mon-Fri, noon-2am Sat & Sun; Bibliothèque
A hybrid English pub/French brasserie, this spacious drinking venue around the corner from the Bibliothèque Nationale is propped up by