Best Places for Jazz and Live Music in Paris

One of the questions that I often get asked by visitors in Paris is where are some good places to go for jazz and live music. Thanks to my parents, I’ve been a music aficionado for most of my life and because of that I’m always on the lookout for music venues, whether I’m traveling or at home. Being the culturally rich city that it is, Paris is loaded with live music. Listed here are just a few, the places that I frequent the most since they’re not far from me and they never disappoint.

Please note that some of these places require a minimum for card purchases. To be on the safe side it’s a good idea to have cash (in euros) available.

Where to go for jazz…

Duc des Lombards

Situated on the right bank near Les Halles, Duc des Lombards is a long-running jazz club that’s been welcoming renown jazz musicians for over 40 years. There are two sets each night, one at 7:30pm and the second at 10pm. Cover charge starts around 30 euros per person, depending on who’s performing. For the die hards, you won’t want to miss the late-night jam sessions where you can hear some of the best musicians in the city come to free-style until the wee hours of the morning. Jam sessions take place every Friday and Saturday starting around 11:30 or 12am and are free to attend.

Address: 42 Rue des Lombards, 75001

Baiser Salé

Le Baiser Salé is a place that I first heard mentioned on my “ French Without the Fuss” audio book when I first started learning the language more than a decade ago. It wasn’t until later during my first solo trip to Paris while walking near Les Halles that I noticed the sign for the club and realized that Baiser Salé was real and not just a fictitious place mentioned in a French language book.

Baiser Salé has also been around for 40 years with some of their regular musicians having been fixtures at this club for decades. Music starts around 7:00pm on most nights with a second set happening around 9:00pm. You should check the schedule on their website since the times may vary depending on the night. Cover charge starts at 20 euros per person.

Address: 58 Rue des Lombards, 75001

Sunside/ Sunset Jazz Club

Sunside/Sunset is next door to Baiser Salé and is unique in that there are two levels. The ground level where you enter the club is Sunside. The basement level known as a “caveau” (in French caveau means cave), is Sunset. Each level has a stage and features different artists starting at 7:30pm for the first set with a second one beginning around 9:30pm. Cover charge is 20 euros per person, except Mondays where admission is free.

Address: 60 Rue des Lombards, 75001

38 Riv Jazz Club

I was introduced to 38 Riv by a musician from Café Laurent (mentioned later) who invited me to a jam session at this club. This “caveau” or a basement club is not as well known as Le Duc or the Baiser Salé. But here in this tiny space is where some of the liveliest concerts are happening on the Rue de Rivoli. My favorite night is Brazlian night since bossa nova and Brazilian jazz are two of my very favorite styles of music. Concerts are about 22 euros per person and can be reserved online. Jam sessions are walk-in only and have a small fee plus a drink purchase. Check the schedule because times vary depending on who’s performing.

Address: 38 Rue de Rivoli, 75004

La Rhumerie

Located in the heart of Saint Germain des Prés since 1932, La Rhumerie (rhumerie is the French word for rum distiller) has been a long time favorite of mine not only because they specialize in rum cocktails, but because of the colorful and festive vibe, delicious Caribbean food, and of course jazz every Sunday and Monday nights. I like to sit indoors close to the musicians. But there’s also open-air seating available towards the front of the restaurant for those who choose this as a preference. Seating is first come, first serve.

Address: 166 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006

Café Laurent

Opened in 1690 by François Laurent, Café Laurent was the hotspot for literary and artistic personalities such as Robespierre, Rousseau and Voltaire. Fast forward to the 1940’s after the Nazi occupation, the club kicked off the fad for jazz in St. Germain des Prés with bebop music and the jitterbug dance. Among the regulars were Jean Cocteau, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Juliette Greco, the muse of Saint Germain des Prés in the 1950’s. Today, Café Laurent continues to be a favorite amongst jazz aficionados. There’s no cover charge; however, a drink purchase would be expected.

Address: 33 Rue Dauphine, 75006 (located in the Hotel d’Aubusson)

Caveau de la Huchette

Caveau de la Huchette is a favorite among many visitors to Paris, and rightfully so. There’s good music and dancing in a festive atmosphere. As the name suggests, this is a basement club where some of the most famous jazzmen have performed since the mid 1940’s- Sidney Bechet, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Bill Coleman, and Lionel Hampton to name a few. There is an admission fee, usually less than 20 euros per person and it varies depending on the night.

Address: 5 Rue de la Huchette, 75005

Where to go for live music…

Radio France

Radio France is the headquarters for all radio programming, including news, music, podcasts, and shows for all of France. But they also have a stage where artists from all over are invited to perform for public audiences. Here you’ll find different genres including jazz, classical, organ, contemporary, and so on. Unfortunately there’s no English version of the website. But that’s where Google translate can be useful in navigating the calendar and reservation tabs. Times and admission fees vary and are based on the performance schedule. As a bonus, there is a full restaurant and bar where concert goers can enjoy a drink before or after the show.

Address: 116 avenue du Président Kennedy, 75016

Sainte-Chapelle

Saint Chappelle is not only one of the most beautiful landmarks in Paris, it is also a beloved venue for classical music because of its excellent acoustics. The addition of the stained glass as the backdrop makes the concert going experience even more magical. Performances are held here regularly and reservations are required to attend. Note that concert tickets are not sold at the chapel and should be purchased ahead of time using one of the online or in-person ticket sellers such as fnac. You can also purchase tickets here.

Address: 8 Boulevard du Palais, 75001

Philharmonie de Paris

The Philharmonie de Paris is the grand performing arts center in Paris and features three different concert halls. Music lovers gather here to enjoy various styles including big band, jazz, baroque, dance, and of course full classical orchestras. The Philharmonie de Paris is also ideal to have a pre-show dinner at the restaurant Le Balcon. If you’re looking for something to eat or drink afterwards, head over to Hôtel Restaurant Au Boeuf Couronné, a Parisian brasserie serving delicious classic French fare. One thing you may notice when reserving tickets is the category system (e.g. category, 1, 2, 3, etc) which basically just means the seat location, similar to the U.S. where the seating chart indicates “center orchestra”, “loge”, “balcony”, etc. You can see the seating chart for the Philharmonie de Paris here.

Address: 221 Av. Jean Jaurès, 75019 (located in the Cité de la Musique)

Aux Trois Mailletz

Situated in the fifth arrondissement in an ancient stone building, this cabaret/ piano bar is the place-to-be for sing alongs and lively entertainment in a warm and convivial atmosphere. Aux Trois Mailletz has two levels- the ground level is the restaurant and piano bar, and below in the 13th century vault is the cabaret where you can also have dinner and drinks. The music here goes until the early morning hours and represents a wide range of genres such as world music, jazz standards, latin, R&B, and more.

Address: 56 Rue Galande, 75005

Caveau des Oubliettes

Caveau des Oubliettes is an intimate basement venue for live jazz, blues, and jam sessions. There’s a small cover charge, usually less than 10 euros per person. The club has a full bar serving drinks throughout the night. The music here is lively and always draws in a good crowd.

Address: 52 Rue Galande, 75005