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 travelling in Paris, you should, of course, experience the best things to do in Paris for any traveller. After a long day of sightseeing, Paris’s gay nightlife is the perfect way to spend your evening. Explore Paris’s main gay district, Le Marais, or head out into the city and discover underground parties and unique clubs. You’ll also find plenty of gay-friendly accommodation options close to the city’s best gay areas.
Gay in Paris: is Paris a gay-friendly city?
Paris is a very gay-friendly city and welcomes LGBTQ people from around the world. You should have little to no issues displaying affection publicly or booking a honeymoon suite. Nonetheless, 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 a gay area in Paris?
Paris’s main gay district is Le Marais, located in the 4th arrondissement. You’ll find a range of gay 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, the National Museum of Modern Art, and the Maison de Victor Hugo. Be sure to check out our more in-depth guide to Paris’s museums. Plus, one of Paris’s best food markets, Marché des Enfants Rouges, is in the area. If you’re not staying long in Paris, this is the perfect place to be, as it’s close to both general tourist areas and gay attractions. You can also check out our city break in Paris guide to make sure you spend your time wisely.
Discover Paris’s gay bars
Paris has a bustling gay nightlife concentrated in Le Marais. You’ll find a good mix of bars, from dancefloor dives to chill community spaces. You’ll also find gay bars in nearby neighbourhoods such as Montmartre and Les Halles. From stalwart institutions to new kids on the block, these gay bars have a little something for everyone. With themed nights, live performances, and plenty of happy-hour options, Paris’s gay bars are the best places to spend a great night out and meet other gay people in the city.
RAIDD
RAIDD is one of Paris’s most well-known gay clubs, located in Le Marais, just a four-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. It hosts regular themed nights, including a disco night every Tuesday. The bar is packed most of the time, 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 gay bars. Situated in the Les Halles neighbourhood, this is a wonderful bar to visit if you’re looking to watch a show in Paris. It organises drag shows, cabarets, and karaoke nights. The retro-style decor helps create a relaxed vibe where you can kick back with a cocktail. Enjoy its outdoor seating during its happy hour, from 6:00 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. At night, Les Souffleurs starts filling up quickly and the DJs get started with their set. Concerts and other performances are quite common, so head over here early in your trip to see what’s going to be on while you’re in Paris. It offers a happy hour between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm, with some of the cheapest prices in the area. This makes Les Souffleurs the perfect place to pregame before heading out to Le Marais’s other bars and clubs.
Le Grizzli
Paris’s Le Grizzli bar and restaurant isn’t a “gay restaurant” per se, but its location makes it very popular with the LGBTQ people in the area. It’s a laid-back spot to grab some lunch, either indoors or out on the terrace. It offers 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 it also runs yoga sessions and self-defence classes! The bar is open daily from 5:00 pm to 1:30 am, and it organises a variety of events 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. It frequently collaborates with artists and activists and hosts parties where 10-15% of the revenue goes to its partner collective/organisation.
Duplex
Opened in 1980, Duplex is the oldest gay bar in Le Marais and 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. It attracts a hipster crowd and gets pretty busy on weekends. During the week, the bar is great if you’re looking for a less crowded (but by no means empty) spot.
Drag performances at Chez Michou
After its namesake and previous owner, the iconic French drag performer Michou, passed away in 2020, Chez Michou is continuing its queen’s legacy. The restaurant is one of the best places to watch 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.
Gay clubs in Paris: find the party
You’ll find gay parties and events at a variety of locations throughout Paris. While many of the city’s best gay clubs host parties, there are also numerous pop-up parties you can go to. We’ve listed a few hotspots and bars below. A word of warning: Paris’s gay clubs and parties tend to be spread out across the city and venues change frequently, so the best way to find them is to ask the locals as soon as you arrive.
Le CUD Bar
Le CUD Bar is one of the best late-night gay spots in Paris. While many other bars are wrapping up by 2:00 am, at Le CUD things are 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 main attraction. This bar is one of the most popular spots among Paris’s local gay community. It is on the smaller side, and it can get so crowded 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 art exhibitions and programmes. YOYO takes over the auditorium on the lower levels (once home to the French Cinematheque film archive) and hosts some of Paris’s best parties on a regular basis. While it’s not a dedicated gay space, it hosts many gay-themed events throughout the year, especially during Pride. Party brands such as WE Party Pink, BigWolf, and FOREVER, have hosted parties at the venue in the past (and likely will in the future).
Under: Paris’s gay morning club
An afterparty like no other, Under runs from 11:00 am to 7:00 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 gay 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 7:30 pm to 1:30 am, while Doctor Love parties offer house and club classics one Saturday each month, from 10:00 pm to 6:30 am.
Pride in Paris
Every year at the end of June, Paris hosts its 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, 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.
Gay shops in Paris
Many people visit Paris with the hope of shopping at some of the city’s best boutiques and department stores. For gay travellers in Paris, the city offers some unique stores where you can happily shop till you drop. Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, in Le Marais, is the main gay 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 over to the main department stores, like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, to get the classic Paris shopping experience.
Get the lowdown from a local with gay 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 by signing up for a tour. You can find a few different tours of Paris offered by LGBTQ locals that will give you insights into the city’s historical and modern queer hotspots, stories, and communities. The Gay Locals offers a range of gay-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 Père Lachaise Cemetery, which opened in 1804. As the largest cemetery in Paris, it is the final resting place of a number of renowned LGBTQ figures, such as 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 the French writer Colette, who wrote lesbian stories and was known for having numerous affairs (scandalous at the time) with both men and women.
Relax at Paris’s gay saunas
You can find a range of gay saunas throughout the city, including those near Le 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 1:00 am most days of the week and until 2:00 am on the weekends. Euro Men’s Club, located nearby, operates across three floors and attracts a mature crowd.
Sun City Sauna
Sun City is one of the biggest gay saunas in Paris, located close to the city centre and Le Marais. It has a fitness centre, cinema, cruising area, cloakrooms, pool, sauna, and bar. It’s particularly busy on Sundays, but you’ll almost never find it empty.
Gym Louvre Sauna
Gym Louvre is a popular gay 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.
Gay-friendly hotels in Paris
As mentioned, Paris is a very gay-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 friendly to the LGBTQ community, there are a few specific ones you can choose from.
Hotel St Honore
Hotel Saint Honore is a lovely gay-owned hotel close to the Palais Royal. This is one of the best spots to stay if you’re looking for gay-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 inclusive and welcoming as well.
Hotels in Le Marais
As Paris’s primary gay neighbourhood, Le Marais is one of the best areas for gay travellers to stay. Hotel Jules & Jim is a popular gay-friendly hotel in Le Marais, offering contemporary rooms and a downstairs bar that attracts both guests and locals. Hotel Caron is a great three-star hotel in Le Marais located right next to a Metro station. For travellers sticking 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 socialising and getting to know your fellow guests.
