From Midnight to Morning in Paris

While everything feels very 1984 in the U.S., it’s a brave new world in France. And this winter is the perfect time to escape: The French have made their rentrée after a socially acceptable month of summer vacation (yes, we’re jealous too), and Paris comes alive with a breezy, buzzy energy well suited for those long nights.

Here, is the essential itinerary for a long night out on the town. 

Generator

Why shell out for pricey digs when you’ll barely sleep? Instead, choose this nightclub-styled mega-hostel whose bevy of international travelers allows you to pick up a few partners in crime before hitting the town. After your evening out, retreat to the terrace off your private room to sip your preferred hangover cure while overlooking the sea of Haussmannian architecture below. 

Pink Mamma

Filling four floors’ worth of tables is an impressive feat in any city, and Pigalle’s hottest address does it without batting an oeil. Every level is trattoria-chic, with overgrown vines pouring over the rafters amid jugs of pickled legumes. Look for a little surprise in the basement once you maneuver past the meat locker. We’d tell you more, but the au courant Parisians would have our tongues cut out.

Clover Grill

If you’re really looking to get the meat sweats, drop by chef Jean-François Piège’s latest hit, not too far from the Louvre. The floral prints and saloon-style seating feel like a welcome import from London’s solid steakhouse scene, but it’s the family-style servings and off-the-book cocktail stylings by the bar staff that give the resto its super-homey vibe.

La Bellevilloise

The grande dame of Belleville—Paris’s vibrant Harlem-meets-Chinatown neighborhood—offers rooms and halls to explore everything from EDM trance-a-thons to Sunday jazz brunches. Try to locate the swing-dancing speakeasy; it’s an excellent place to down some vin rouge and properly embarrass yourself. 

Ground Control

Open through September, this savvy combo of public and private space was created by the same team responsible for last year’s wildly successful Grand Train food and bar court in a discarded SNCF station. Expect plenty of snacks and sunny space. If you’re in town after the closing, keep an eye out for the crew’s next installment of “free and curious” ephemeral places.

Rosa Bonheur

Tucked away in the 19th arrondissement under the green canopy of the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, Rosa goes gay from 6 p.m. to midnight every Sunday—there isn’t a modern pompadour in town who hasn’t sipped rosé at this institution. Also worth a peek are its second spot on a barge along the Seine and the newly opened third site in the western suburb of Asnières. But attendance at the OG location is mandatory. Shirts, however, are optional. 

Now that it's morning, what are you going to do during the day?