Paris has long been home to a thriving LGBTQ community, and many historical queer figures from all over the world have spent significant time in the French capital. If you’re an LGBTQ traveller in Paris, you should, of course, experience the best things to do in Paris for any traveller, and after a long day of sightseeing, Paris’s LGBTQ nightlife is the perfect way to spend your evening. Explore Paris’s main LGBTQ village, Le Marais, or head out into the city and discover underground parties and unique clubs. You’ll also find plenty of LGBTQ-friendly accommodation options close to the city’s best LGBTQ areas.
Paris: is it an LGBTQ-friendly city?
Paris is a very LGBTQ-friendly city, welcoming LGBTQ people from around the world. You should have little to no issues displaying affection publicly or booking a honeymoon suite. Of course, you should always remain vigilant, particularly as homophobic attacks have risen in recent years. If needed, the SOS Homophobie charity can help you find assistance or report an incident.
Is there an LGBTQ area in Paris?
Paris’s main LGBTQ district is Le Marais, located in the 4th arrondissement. You’ll find a range of LGBTQ bars and clubs packed into this neighbourhood, and it is the heart of Paris’s Pride celebrations each year. The district is also home to some of Paris’s top attractions, including the Centre Pompidou modern art museum and the Musee Victor Hugo.
Discover Paris’s LGBTQ bars
Paris has a thriving LGBTQ nightlife, concentrated in Le Marais. You’ll find a good mix of bars, from dancefloor dives to chill community spaces. Along with Le Marais, you’ll also find LGBTQ bars in nearby neighbourhoods like Montmartre and Les Halles.
From stalwart institutions to new kids on the block, these LGBTQ bars have a little something for everyone. With themed nights, live performances, and plenty of happy-hour options, Paris’s LGBTQ bars are an easy way to have a great night out and meet other LGBTQ individuals in the city.
RAIDD
RAIDD is one of Paris’s most well-known LGBTQ clubs, found in Le Marais, around a 4-minute walk from the Hotel de Ville station. Famous for its ‘Shower Show’ every Thursday, RAIDD is known for its excellent atmosphere, with drinks, dancers, and DJs. They host regular themed nights, including a disco night every Tuesday. The bar is popular and packed, so, with no cover fee on the door, you might have to wait in line a while to get in. But the wait will be more than worth it.
Banana Cafe
Opened in 1990, Banana Cafe has long been one of Paris’s best LGBTQ bars. Situated in the Les Halles neighbourhood, this is a great bar to check out if you’re looking to watch a show in Paris. They run drag shows, cabarets, and karaoke nights. The retro-style decor helps create a relaxed vibe where you can kick back with a cocktail. Enjoy their outdoor seating during their happy hour, from 06:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
Les Souffleurs
Les Souffleurs offers a relaxed space during the daytime and a party vibe at night. In the early evening, you can settle in on one of their leather sofas and get to know new people. When night comes, Les Souffleurs starts filling up quickly and the DJs really get started.
Concerts and other performances are quite common, so head here early in your trip to see what’s going to be on while you’re in Paris. They offer a happy hour between 06:00 pm and 09:00 pm, with some of the cheapest prices in the area. This makes Les Souffleurs the perfect place to pre-game before heading out to Marais’s other bars and clubs.
Le Grizzli
Paris’s Le Grizzli bar and restaurant isn’t an ‘LGBTQ restaurant’ exactly, but its Marais location makes it very popular with the LGBTQ population in the area. It’s a laid-back spot to grab some lunch, either indoors or out on the terrace. They offer the option of ordering a set-price fixed menu or individual dishes, à la carte.
La Mutinerie
La Mutinerie is, in its own words, a feminist bar that’s also a library, billiard hall, and screening room. Oh, and they also run yoga sessions and self-defense classes! The bar is open daily from 05:00 pm to 01:30 am, and you’ll often find a range of events running throughout the week.
Along with providing a community space where LGBTQ Parisians can gather and party, La Mutinerie also aims to foster the development of queer art and culture. They frequently collaborate with artists and activists and often host parties where 10-15% of their revenue goes to the collective/organization that they’ve partnered with.
Duplex
Opened in 1980, Duplex Bar is the oldest LGBTQ bar in Le Marais and it offers a uniquely chill, laid-back vibe. If you’ve had your fill of hitting the dance floor to the thumping beats of loud pop music, head down to Duplex. This bar is a great place to meet new people, partially just because the music isn’t too loud to hold a conversation. The bar attracts more of a hipster crowd and it gets pretty busy on weekends. During the week, it’s great if you’re looking for a less crowded (but by no means empty) spot.
Drag performances at Chez Michou
Although its namesake and previous owner, iconic french drag performer Michou, passed away in 2020, Chez Michou is carrying on its queen’s legacy. The restaurant is one of the best places to experience drag performances, with queens both young and old taking to the stage. You can brush up on your classic French pop music before you go or just soak it all in when you arrive. It’s also close to Paris’s famous Moulin Rouge, so you can easily pack an evening with a range of high-quality cabaret performances.
LGBTQ clubs in Paris: find the party
You’ll find LGBTQ parties and events at a variety of locations throughout Paris. While many of the city’s best LGBTQ clubs host parties, there are also frequent pop-up parties throughout the city. We’ve listed a few hotspots and bars below; however, Paris’s LGBTQ clubs and parties tend to be spread out across the city and venues change frequently, so the best way to find the hottest parties will usually be to ask the locals once you’ve arrived.
Le CUD Bar
Le CUD Bar is one of the best late-night LGBTQ spots in Paris. While many other bars are wrapping things up by 02:00 am, at Le CUD things are only just getting started. There’s a nice comfortable area upstairs where you can sit down and have a drink, but the cave bar on the lower level is the real attraction.
This bar is one of the most popular spots among Paris’s local LGBTQ community. It is on the smaller side, and as such it’s so popular that you might find yourself wanting to get a bit of fresh air. Luckily, with no cover charge on the door, you don’t have to worry about getting back in.
YOYO – Palais de Tokyo
Palais de Tokyo calls itself a ‘centre for contemporary creation’ and houses a variety of contemporary art exhibitions and programs. YOYO takes over the auditorium on the lower levels (once home to Paris’s French Cinematheque film archive) and hosts some of Paris’s best parties on a regular basis.
While it’s not a dedicated LGBTQ space, it hosts frequent LGBTQ parties throughout the year, especially during Pride. Party brands like WE Party Pink, BigWolf, and FOREVER have hosted parties at the venue in the past (and likely will in the future).
Under: Paris’s LGBTQ morning club
An afterparty like no other, Under runs from 11:00 am to 07:00 pm. It offers a thrilling party atmosphere that leaves you plenty of time to rest up before work the next day. The exact dates and venues change, but it’s usually held at VOG. Paris, around 30 minutes outside of Le Marais.
Lim/Doctor Love
These LGBTQ parties are hosted once a month at Club Haussman, and they promise a great Saturday night out. They’re usually held at the end of the month, with different themes to keep things fresh. When these parties get started, the music will be pounding and drinks flowing. Lim parties feature karaoke and vintage pop one Sunday a month, from 07:30 pm to 01:30 am, while Doctor Love parties offer house and club classics one Saturday each month, from 10:00 pm to 06:30 am.
Pride in Paris
Every year at the end of June, Paris hosts their Pride March or ‘Marche des Fiertes LGBT’. It starts at the Tour Montparnasse skyscraper and ends at the Place de la Bastille. After the march itself, you’ll find the party continuing across the city, particularly in Le Marais. The first independent march in the city was held in 1977, making it one of the longest-running Pride marches and consistently one of the largest in the world.
LGBTQ shops in Paris
Many people visit Paris with the hope of shopping at some of the city’s best boutiques and department stores. For LGBTQ travellers in Paris, the city offers some unique stores where you can happily shop till you drop. Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, in Marais, is the main LGBTQ shopping strip.
Here, you can visit clothing boutiques like the Boyz Bazaar and Factory’s, and on the opposite side of the street, you’ll find the IEM sex shop. Of course, you can always head to the main department stores, like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, to get the classic Paris shopping experience.
Get the lowdown from a local with LGBTQ tours in Paris
One of the best ways to get to know the LGBTQ side of a city, especially if you’re visiting for the first time, is with a tour. You can find a few different tours of Paris offered by LGBTQ locals that will give you insight into the city’s historical and modern queer hotspots, stories, and communities. The Gay Locals offers a range of LGBTQ-focused tours of Paris, including a day-to-night tour of Marais.
Discover LGBTQ history at Pere Lachaise
One of the best spots in Paris to soak up some LGBTQ history is the famous Pere Lachaise Cemetery. The largest cemetery in Paris opened in 1804, today Pere Lachaise is the final resting place for a number of internationally-renowned LGBTQ figures, including Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, and Gertrude Stein.
There are also lesser-known figures with curious and possibly queer histories, including a 19th-century French painter involved in two ‘Boston marriages’ and two generals from Napoleon’s army, buried side by side. Also buried here is French writer Colette, who frequently wrote lesbian stories and was known for having numerous affairs (scandalous at the time) with both men and women.
Relax at Paris’s LGBTQ saunas
You can find a range of LGBTQ saunas throughout the city, including near Marais. IDM Sauna in Montmartre stretches across four floors and has a gym on the upper level. It’s open from 12:00 pm to 01:00 am most days of the week and open until 02:00 am on weekends. Euro Men’s Club, close by, operates across three floors and attracts a mature crowd.
Sun City Sauna
Sun City is one of the biggest LGBTQ saunas in Paris, located close to the city centre and Marais. It has a fitness centre, cinema, cruising area, cloakrooms, pool, sauna and bar. It’s especially popular on Sundays, but you’ll almost never find it empty.
Gym Louvre Sauna
Gym Louvre is a popular LGBTQ sauna right in the heart of Paris. It’s split into two halves, with one-half operating as a gym and the other as a sauna. The sauna area includes a dry sauna, hammam rooms, private cabins, and a bar.
LGBTQ-friendly hotels in Paris
Paris is a very LGBTQ-friendly city, so you can comfortably choose from most hotels that suit your travel preferences. However, if you’re looking for hotels that are known for being LGBTQ-friendly and frequently cater to LGBTQ clientele, then there are a few specific ones you can choose from.
Hotel St Honore
Hotel Saint Honore is a lovely LGBTQ-owned hotel close to the Palais Royal. This is one of the best spots to stay if you’re looking for LGBTQ-owned accommodation in the city. It’s easily confused with Hotel Royal Saint Honore Paris Louvre, but don’t worry, this hotel is known for being LGBTQ friendly as well.
Hotels in Le Marais
As Paris’s top LGBTQ neighbourhood, Le Marais is one of the best areas for LGBTQ travellers to stay. Hotel Jules & Jim is a popular LGBTQ-friendly hotel in Marais, offering contemporary rooms and a downstairs bar that attracts both guests and locals. Hotel Caron is a great three-star hotel in Marais and is ideally located right next to a Metro station. For travellers looking to stick to a budget, Mije Marais is an excellent dorm-style hostel housed in a beautiful 17th-century building. The courtyard and dining spaces are perfect for socializing and getting to know your fellow guests.
