A disclaimer: this is not a guide to “The Best Cafes” or “The Best Restaurants” of Paris, for several reasons.
Writing about the best cafe in Paris would be like writing about the best pizza joint in NYC. At best, overwhelming, and at worst, likely to provoke the ire of the locals.
You wouldn't want to go off what any review site recommended anyway. There is a personal pride in having “your cafe”, “your bar”, and “your tailor”, something already in line with the Hipster ethos. Finding “your cafe” during your stay in Paris is worth more than visiting the trendiest cafe profiled in Vogue.
Discovering Hipster Paris
Instead of going off a guide, start out your day with a cup of coffee in the corner cafe. Get to know the area immediately around where you are staying. If you are lucky enough, the locals might respect your chillness and share their recommendations with you.
But, until then, use this guide as a jumping off point to discover hipster Paris. Here are some trendy things to do and places to see, well off the beaten path.
Take a class in Paris.
Sure, there are culinary classes offered, but to really get off the beaten path, check out The Street Art Paris graffiti mural art class. Held every first Sunday of the month, this workshop lasts for approximately 2.5 hours and is taught by Parisian graffiti artists.
Street Art Paris is a group of artists, historians, and documentarians that work in Paris’ famous street art scene, so they know what they are talking about. The class covers basic techniques of spray painting as well as how to create the composition of a mural. Classes are 35 euros. It’s a really cool way to learn more about an integral part of Paris Urban culture while also contributing to the wider artistic landscape.
Go see a movie.
There are many wonderful movie theaters in Paris, not just for mainstream cinema, but for arthouse, independent, foreign and classic films. Live your best hipster life by watching a screening of a film your friends definitely haven’t heard of.
Situated at nᵒ 170, boulevard de Magenta in the 10ᵉ arrondissement Le Louxor Palais du Cinema is quite possibly the oldest cinema still in existence in Paris. Created in 1919 by Henry Zipcy, it screened films for many years before becoming a nightclub in 1983. After nearly 20 years of abandonment, it was renovated and restored in 2013, maintaining it’s iconique art deco-Egyptian style.
It’s an amazing piece of Parisian history. Best of all, see a movie and then get a drink. Buying a movie ticket gets you access to the bar and secret rooftop. It’s the perfect place to talk through the finer points of the film you just watched, and the craft beer prices are really reasonable at around 4 euros.
Go To A Bar éphémère.
Trendy francaises and francophones might already know what a “bar éphémère” is, but for my anglophiles out there, a “bar éphémère” (literally “ephemeral bar”) is a pop up bar, lasting anywhere from a few days to a few months. Often a partnership, many “bar éphémères” are produced in collaboration with groups ranging from artistic collectives, visual artists, cultural institutions, culinary institutions, or speciality alcohol producers.
One recent bar éphémère, Calva Club, only served alcohol produced in France, as a way to promote french brewers and distillers. An exciting bar éphémère is Le Squat: October 2018 to June 2019. Situated inside of the Normandy Hotel, the space is going to be renovated into new presidential suites, but in the meantime it was given over to a group of artists to do what they pleased with it. So, they covered it in graffiti and made it into a bar.
The atmosphere is incredible and it’s a great opportunity to experience some of Paris’ most hipster nightlife. To get to Le Squat, make your way to the Normandy Hotel at 7 Rue de l'Échelle, 75001 Paris and go inside and up to the “7ème étage”. Just don’t forget that the French don’t count the ground floor, so it would be the 8th floor in America. Le Squat is open everyday from 7pm until 1am, and they have a selection of cocktails, beer, and wine.
Check out their two specialty drinks: “The Jamaican Mule” and the “Gin Tonic du Squat”.
Visit "The Farm of Good Times".
La Ferme du Bonheur is another really cool spot. Literally “Farm of Good Times”: located at 220 Avenue de la République, 92000 Nanterre, France, it’s located in an urban farm next to the University of Nanterre, in the suburbs of Paris, but very much still in the city.
It’s a little hard to describe, but according to the website, it’s a place of research and reflection on Mankind and the Earth which uses culture in all its forms (theatre, music, dance, sculpture, cinema, etc.) but also a place of social action, thought, theory, and activism. It’s partly a freeform artistic space and partly just a laid back environment to hang out with some sheep and watch some performances.
It’s open on weekends and variable hours during the week, so check out their upcoming events. Concerts and performances usually start in the afternoon so it’s a great option for hipsters who aren’t exactly night owls.
Check out some live music.
If you are looking for more of a music oriented venue, check out La Station - Gare de Mines. It used to literally be an SNCF train station before being converted by the MU collective. It’s primarily a music venue, though they also screen films.
Located in the 18th arrondissement at 29 avenue de la Porte d'Aubervilliers, 75018, Paris, France, it’s open Wednesday through Sunday from 5:30pm to around 1am. It’s honestly one of the best places to hear new music in Paris, especially if you like techo or prog-underground/experimental. A really great venue to dance or just enjoy the music in.
Sidenote: the music experience doesn’t have to end after you return home. La Station uploads radio shows that you can listen to in full here.
The Best Hipster Paris Experience
Of course, live music isn’t the only way to enjoy the music of Paris. Check out Disquare Le Rideau de Fer, named after the Iron Curtain, for all the underground LPs and vinyls your hipster heart desires. Plus, vinyls make great souvenirs.
Open from 12:30pm to 5pm and located at 12 rue André Del Sarte 75018 Paris. Check out their website for more information, or their Facebook page. Disquare Le Rideau de Fer also happens to be located in Montmartre, one of the most famously hipster neighborhoods in Paris.
Among other things, Montmarte is known for it’s awesome street art. So, while you are looking for records, make sure to budget some time to explore some street art Paris. By the time you get home from Paris, you'll want to go right back.