EXCLUSIVE | Paris: Where to Play/Meet Part Three

FETISH AND LEATHER SCENE
Though rather tame by Northern European standards, Paris has a lively Levis/leather/S&M scene, centered primarily on about a half-dozen bars. Pick up one of the numerous gay weeklies for the newest addresses and everybody's theme nights.

Keller (14, rue Keller, 11e; +33-1-47-00-65-39), a self-described "raunchy cruise bar" near the Bastille, is the closest Parisian clone to an Amsterdam or Berlin leather bar. It's got all the paraphernalia that belongs to those places, including a dark room, slings, and a strict dress code. On weekdays, when it closes at 2 a.m., it feels more like a neighborhood bar with 40-something-year-old regulars (who just happen to be wearing chaps). On weekends, when it closes at 4 a.m., the clientele is younger, sexier, and things really get serious. Not for the faint of heart.

Another leather bar, QG Bar (12, rue Simon Lefranc, 4e; +33-1-48-87-74-18), is very cruisy and small, and gets crowded on the weekends. The people here sometimes give the impression that they would rather be looking in a mirror than at you. TX (40 rue Godefroy-Cavaignac, 11e; +33-1-43-79-06-38). has various themed nights but most concentrate around sportswear, sneaker fetishes, and sports-smells.

Another sex club, Le Bunker (150, rue Saint Maur, 11e; +33-1-43-57-33-82) attracts a somewhat younger following, but has recently added to its fetish-y repertoire a bear night. This place apparently challenges le D?pot as being the wildest backroom in Paris. If you're staying near Montmartre then check out Mec Zone (27 rue Turgo, 9e; +33-1-40-82-94-18), which has theme fetish nights, such as "Zone Chaps," "Zone Slip" (underwear), "Zone Soumission" (submission) and "Zone Mise au Poing" (Fist).

The Glove (34, rue Charlot, 3e; +33-1-48-87-31-36), near metro Filles du Calvaire and open daily until 8 a.m., is seemingly quiet from the outside set in a beautiful 17th-century basement. This place, as intense as most sex clubs, specializes in pissing and fisting nights (they boast their own gynecological exam table. Bring a friend! Le Transfert (3 rue de la Sourdiere, 1e; +33-1-42-60-48-42) offers different fetish themes every night. Not for those with a sense of humor.

Full-Metal (40 rue des Blancs-Manteaux, 4e; +33-1-42-72-30-05) sports vaulted cellars, shirtless waiters, relaxed ambiance, strict dress codes. There is a very serious attitude towards sex and their nightly themes are not to be ignored: Monday is "Cockring Only," a naturist night, Wednesday is leather and latex; each Friday is a different theme, like sneakers, golden showers, and dildos. Being big and muscular is probably a good idea.

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

Related Articles:
Paris: Introduction
Paris: Where to Stay
Paris: Where to Eat
Paris: What to See and Do
Paris: Resources