The nearest thing today is the series of after-parties at Folies Pigalle (see below), where drag queens and latter-day courtesans strut their stuff to tribal house. It starts at 5am, so where to go before?

Elysée Montmartre just up the Boulevard Rochechouart provides a suitably Belle Époque setting. This former cabaret hall is a spectacular location, with some good sounds depending on the night. These range from techno to hip-hop and reggae, with a fortnightly Le Bal drawing huge crowds to rock’n’roll and nostalgic hits.

Techno fans head to the clubbing strip on the Grands Boulevards, with the Rex (5 Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, 2nd, 01-42-361-096. Nearest Métro: Clichy) and Pulp (25 Boulevard Poissonière, 2nd, 01-40-260-193. Nearest Métro: Grand Boulevards) close by.

Other fast bpm are found at La Scène Bastille (2 bis rue des Taillandiers, 11th, 01-48-065-070. Nearest Métro: Voltaire Ledru Rollin) and the Batofar (11 Quai François Mauriac, 13th, (01-56-291-000. Nearest Métro: Quai de la Gare), a lighthouse ship moored on the Seine. But fun though they may be, they are not exactly conducive to romance.

Dressed-up clubbing is concentrated in the Champs-Elysées area in venues such as L’Étoile (12 rue de Presbourg, 16th, 01-45-007-870. Nearest Métro: Kleber), where showing off your tan is more important than good dance moves. Mandala Ray (see below) offers a stunning location for a sophisticated night out. A successor to Buddha Bar, the lounge-bar/restaurant holds successful Friday and Saturday night soirées.

The “it” crowd in Paris currently revolves around Le Baron. It is difficult to enter without a personal introduction, so if your French doesn’t extend to blagging the doormen, go to its less exclusive sistervenue Le Paris Paris (see below), where the same young teams programme live rock and eclectic DJs in a setting that has plenty of room for chilling and dancing.

Finally, a good time is always to be had at Favela Chic (see below), where Parisians let their hair down to music from all continents, and dance on the tables till the relatively early closing time of 2am or 4am. It must be noted that most clubs don’t get going until at least this time, so you might consider moving on — the night is young.

L’ELYSÉE MONTMARTRE

72 bd Rochechouart, 18th (www.elysee-montmartre.com 08-92-692-392). Nearest Métro: Anvers. Open Fri & Sat midnight-dawn. Live concerts other nights. Entry €14-€25

This beautiful salle, featured in some of Toulouse-Lautrec’s posters, was a can-can venue at the beginning of the last century and still has its gorgeous stucco ceiling and gallery. These days, it is hired out to individual promoters for concerts and club nights. One of the best is Le Bal on the second and fourth Saturday of the month. A live band excites the twenty to thirtysomething crowd with the 20th century’s greatest hits, from musette music to ska, and French couples relive Sophie Marceau’s La Boum with the “quart d’heure américaine” (the slows). Otherwise, Panik, on the last Friday of the month, has top techno DJs such as Laurent Garnier.

FAVELA CHIC

18 rue du Fbg du Temple, 11th (www.favelachic.com 01-40-213-814). Nearest Métro: République. Open Tues, Wed & Thur 7.30pm-2am; Fri & Sat 7.30pm-4am; closed Sun & Mon. Entry free Tues-Thur; €10 (including 1 drink) Fri & Sat

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