Finding the Perfect Little Neighborhood Bar – Paris Style

  Paris, the city of super chic and super sleek, has plenty of bars but it can be difficult finding the perfect cool spot for sitting and relaxing with a drink. As you stroll the neighborhood streets at night you pass plenty of brasseries with harsh fluorescent lights illuminating a drab interior and haggard-looking men scrunched over the bar. In more upscale neighborhoods you’ll find a different type of place; brightly lit, with lots of mirrors and shiny fixtures, that caters to the well-heeled who enjoy eating a late night meal. Then, in the most fashionable districts where lines of trendily clad young things with attitude are waiting to enter the spot of the moment, there are guys in black standing behind the velvet ropes with the sole purpose of elevating a simple night out into a beauty contest. Not at all what I have in mind. I’m looking for a cozy sort of place where I can talk to my friends, meet some nice people, have a good drink that doesn’t cost a week’s pay and listen to funky music – but not so loud that I have to shout. Oh, and I want to feel as though I am in Paris. Does such a place exist?? Luckily, I live in a neighborhood where there are plenty of bars to chose from. Donning my very worn but fit-me-like-a-glove jeans, my oh-so-Parisian pointy stilettos, a little t-shirt from a little boutique and my leather, don’t-mess-with-me jacket, I head out in search of the perfect bar. Goldilocks I’m not but I feel like trying a little porridge, so to speak. I head to rue Montmartre, which has become a happening little strip over the past few years. The first bar in my neighborhood forest is the très hip Café Noir, sitting jauntily on a corner. A bright neon light that runs along the outside adds a warm glow to the place, and floor-to-ceiling windows on both street sides tell you at a glance what the night might have in store. It’s sort of a fishbowl effect but once you open the door, the loud music and buzz of voices makes you forget about all the poor souls in the outside world. This is the type of place that always has a crowd. On a quiet weeknight you will find plenty of people nursing a beer, and even a few loners settled down over a paper from the magazine rack by the door. During the weekend, it’s 2 or 3 deep at the bar, and not much more than elbow room elsewhere. The décor is minimal (except for the floating mannequin over the bar) and the ambience low key and only slightly pretentious. Overall I would say it’s a bit like Friends in Paris. The music is too loud to hold any sort of real conversation and the lighting is to bright for it to feel romantic but overall this porridge isn’t too bad. I almost don’t want to continue my search. But a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do. Back out in the crisp night, I peak around the corner down rue D’Argout and spot two other bars. I venture forth. The first is aptly named The Jungle, with wood and leopard décor, exotic drinks, African snacks and super cool world music. This small and smoky spot could be just the thing, but not tonight. Still I will have to leave a few breadcrumbs so I can find my way back another time. The next bar makes me a little afraid. It isn’t so much the eerie glow coming from the mix of white neon lights against and orange and purple interior. No, it’s more the name, The Love Connection Bar, that has me concerned. As I walk in, heads crane in my direction. Not exactly big ferocious bears, but still… I wasn’t planning on finding Prince Charming on this trip. So I grab a few snacks at the bar and hit the road again. In all fairness the place might be a good pick-up spot for those looking for some fun, and the bar does have several theme evenings organized so you can drop by on the night that suits your needs. As for me, I head down the road a little further. Back on rue Montmartre, I spy another little place, Le Cœur Fou. I can’t see inside because the windows are covered in steam, so I open the door, not really sure what to expect. Immediately I am ensconced in a crowded room with a light din of conversation. Music is playing but not to loud and I can see plenty of people, slightly better dressed and coifed than at Café Noir, immersed in conversation against an austere background. We’re talking about a basic mirrored bar with wood shelves, a long counter and bare white walls, except for the tree roots descending from the ceiling. Hmm, this could be my kind of forest. Just to be sure though, I give up my cozy place at the corner of the bar and continue my search. I walk past Le Tambour, which is definitely a spot worth noting, if simply for the fact that it serves food and drinks until 6:30 in the morning. A little bit further down the road, I come to the last place on the trail, the Papou Lounge. This turns out to be a very good spot if you are looking for a quiet, candlelit place to talk. Another place to note but not exactly a neighborhood spot. I go back up the street where the neon glow of Café Noir and snug interior of Le Cœur Fou are calling. Decisions, decisions… Details: All the bars are within walking distance of each other and of the same metro stations, Sentier on line 3, or a short walk from Les Halles and Étienne Marcel on line 4. * Le Café Noir: 01-40-39-07-36. 65, rue Montmartre, 75002 * Le Cœur Fou: 55, rue Montmartre, 75002, * La Jungle: 01-40-41-03-45. 56, rue d’Argout, 75002. Website: www.la-jungle.com. Most of the information on this site refers to their sister restaurant and bar a few blocks away. It’s not the easiest site in the world to navigate but it will give you some idea of the atmosphere that you’ll find at this cozy world bar. Open from…