By Anne McCarthy
There are few things better than curling up in a cozy chair during winter and listening to some incredible jazz music in Paris. If you’ve seen the latest Netflix hit movie, Maestro, starring Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein, you may be itching for some “IRL” jazz music!
And while the temperatures are getting colder, that doesn’t need to stop you from having fun in the City of Light if you’re there during winter. Paris is one of the global jazz capitals, and here you’ll find more than enough music to make your heart truly sing!
Actress Carol Drinkwater perhaps said it best when citing some of the myriad factors that make Paris great. She proclaimed, “Paris, the City of Light, never fails to enchant. With its jazz clubs, music in the streets, outdoor restaurants. The clatter of knives and forks at street-side cafes. Chic and trendy students embracing in the streets.”
Winter in Paris is a special time to be in the city, and there’s much to do, indoors and out. While you’re in Paris, come visit us at Fat Tire Tours Paris! No matter what time of year you’re here, we’d love to lead you around our favorite city and show you all the insider secrets, tips, and tricks.
We offer a huge range of tours, including bike tours, walking tours (including an Emily in Paris-inspired walking tour–perfect for the diehard fans of the hit Netflix series!), Segway tours, Versailles tours, baking classes, and more. Let us show you around the city on your next visit! (Heading here for the Olympics in summer 2024? Book our Paris Day Bike – Limited Olympic Edition for a super-special Olympics-themed experience!)
Now, here are some of the best jazz clubs in Paris where you can get your jazzy fix!
Le Duc des Lombards
This jazz club is a very popular spot. Le Duc des Lombards even goes so far as to call itself “the jazz capital of the world,” which, honestly, is a fair statement! Le Duc des Lombards is known for its piano and for having a huge number of shows. It offers shows two times per evening (at 7:30pm and 10pm) Monday – Saturday.
Located on the chic Rue des Lombards (between Place du Châtelet and the Pompidou), this is one of three–yes, three!– jazz clubs on Rue des Lombards. So if you’re in the mood for a jazz-filled night, head to Rue des Lombards. (The other two jazz clubs there are the Sunset/Sunside and Le Baiser Salé.) This spot has a notable pedigree, too. Bobby Few, the American jazz pianist, performed here back in the day!
Address: 42 Rue des Lombards, 75001 Paris, France
Le Caveau de la Huchette
In the heart of the Latin Quarter on Rue de la Huchette, you’ll find Le Caveau de la Huchette, which boasts an incredible history. The site has been around since the 16th century! Long before it was a jazz club, the space was a meeting place for the Templars, which led to the forming of a Freemasonic lodge there. So if you spend your night soaking up jazz here, you’re also experiencing some notable French history.
Le Caveau de la Huchette opened as a jazz club in 1949, not too long after the 1944 Allied invasion of France during World War II. Notably, this spot was one of the first places in Paris where you could come hear live jazz music. As a result of its age, Le Caveau de la Huchette has seen some amazing performances by the likes of Bill Coleman, Sacha Distel, Finn Ziegler, Memphis Slim, and more.
Le Caveau de la Huchette has gotten the Hollywood treatment, too. It’s been seen in a number of films, including the Oscar-nominated 2016 film La La Land.
Address: 5 Rue de la Huchette, 75005 Paris, France
New Morning
Jazz venue New Morning features live jazz music, as well as some other genres, too. Like Le Duc des Lombards, New Morning boasts some jazz history. It was here at New Morning that Art Blakely and the Jazz Messengers performed for the first time, anointing the venue with jazzy goodness by the music legends in 1981.
New Morning has seen a host of iconic performances from jazz legends, particularly for artists at the final stage of their careers. Notable artists who performed at New Morning include the legendary Chet Baker, George Russell, Arturo Sandoval, Dizzy Gillespie, and Gil Scott Heron. Not a bad lineup, eh?
Address: 7/9 R. des Petites Écuries, 75010 Paris, France
Sunset/Sunside
Also on Rue des Lombards is Sunset/Sunside. This intimate basement bar with nightly live jazz music and a terrace is a perfect date night spot for all the lovers in Paris. It’s also perfect for a night out with friends, too. Sunset/Sunside is unique in its layout; it’s a double venue, in fact, with the basement bar (the “sunset” area) performing various acts and the ground-floor bar (the “sunside” area) hosting entirely different shows.
The Sunset opened in 1983 following the requests from musicians who frequented a bar in the building. After its opening, the club was a must-stop locale for some of the best talent in American jazz, including Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. Sunset/Sunside is also known for its diversity of programming, and its respect for classical jazz. Sunside opened in 2001; it replaced the restaurant that was formerly located above the Sunset.
Address: 60 Rue des Lombards, 75001 Paris, France
Anne McCarthy is the Editor in Chief of the Fat Tire Tours Blog. She is a contributing writer to the BBC, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Wired, and many more. She splits her time between the U.S. and Europe.
