Paris Gay Travel
Acquaint yourself with Le Marais, the famous Paris gay district. Plus, in this Paris gay travel guide you’ll discover why gay nightlife here is a little different.
The Gay Travel Experience: Paris, France
I spent my time in Paris learning about why several gay locals love their city so much. After all, Parisians are a proud bunch! It turns out that I met all the gay friends I have in Paris while visiting other countries. One at Tel Aviv Pride, two in Barcelona and one in Maspalomas. I guess this really shows how much Parisians love to travel!
My Parisian Gay Friends
An intensely stylish guy, Oded shared his story with me in a Paris café about how he found his love for the French capital. It’s always heartwarming to hear how people fall in love with cities and what exactly drew them in.
Each of my local gay Parisian friends loves Paris for a different reason. It’s a fashion hub, and for my friend Oded, it’s paradise. He feels more at home here than his hometown of Tel Aviv.
My friend Tom loves Paris for the nightlife. There is of course a segment of the Paris gay community that really knows how to party and for a socialite like Tom, Paris fuels him! The city hosts many international gay events and has a many gay bars to choose from. More on that in the nightlife section.
My long-time friends Hervé and Ivan, his Serbian partner, live just outside central Paris. Having been together for a while now, they love the city for the opportunities it provides them. Working in the real estate industry allows them to live in a beautiful apartment with some precious feline friends. They enjoy all the culture (and gay life) Paris has to offer.
With this wolfyy guide, Paris gay travel will be a cinch! Start reading now to get the low-down on gay bars, accommodations and my favorite café in Paris.
Gay Paris: Where to Stay
Some people may tell you the city of love is small, but I find Paris to be huge! Given its size, location is important to get the right experience. Walking between attractions will be tiresome. The time it took to get between places I wanted to visit was simply too much for walking, even with being used to long amounts of time on foot.
Meet the Paris metro: your vast and complex best friend that can get you anywhere. While choosing a place to stay, keep in mind proximity to a station, unless you will only take taxis. The metro is cheap and usually quite direct to main points of interest.
Le Marais is the well-known Paris gay district. If most of your time will be spent in this neighborhood, then it is best to search for accommodations in the 3rd or 11th arrondissement. Aside from this, it is generally difficult for me to recommend specific locations to stay because it really depends on why you are visiting.
Given the French capital is a staple travel hotspot and is quite expensive, hotels in Paris will cost quite a bit. However, hotels near the Paris gay district would definitely be a good choice in my opinion.
First determine which part of the city you will frequent most, and then go from there. Some gay travelers like the gay districts while others have preferences to be near friends or specific attractions.
The most expensive accommodations will be close to major landmarks, and so to save a bit of money, I suggest looking toward the nearest residential area that offers a local feel.
Want to save money on for Airbnb in Paris? Here are five ways you can save money.
Paris Experiences for the Gay Traveler
Cafés in Paris are so elegant! My favorite in Le Marais is Le Café Suédois. With outdoor seating in a cobblestone courtyard surrounded by ivy-covered walls, it feels royal! It’s also fantastic because refills on drip coffee are free (at least when I went)! Make sure you order some freshly baked pie. I’ll never forget how delicious mine was.
Paris Gay District: Le Marais
If you find yourself in Le Marais in the morning, then stop by Legay Choc for some phallic-shaped treats. For more phallic shaped food, go to Tata Burger, where you can find penis-shaped cheeseburgers! Gay travel to Paris is not complete without a visit here!
Everyone knows the Le Marais gay neighborhood…but something you likely didn’t know, is that there are three sections. Each section of the gay district attracts varying amounts of gay tourists versus gay locals. Le Rue des Archives is the area with the most tourists. Most Paris gay bars are here. Local gay French men tend to avoid this area unless visiting to party.
Beyond you will find Rue de Temple, which is less touristic and offers a calmer vibe with some shopping. Even further, Rue de Turennes is the favorite area of the Marais with gay locals. Near Place de Vosges, this area of the gay district has a quieter and more relaxed vibe.
Ze Restoo is decently priced restaurant in Le Marais. I enjoyed their food and how friendly the waiter was. Perfect during sunset or a nightly walk after dinner, don’t forget to spend at least a little time walking along the Seine.
Things to Do in Paris: Shopping & Viewpoints
In my opinion, the best shopping in Paris is between Hôtel de Ville and Châtelet. I also checked out some boutiques just north of here in Le Marais. My friend Oded took me shopping here and helped me pick out some new clothes. He has an amazing sense of style, and he did a stellar job helping me with some new looks. Thanks, Oded!
If you want the best views of Paris, head to Sacré-Coeur! Climb to the top and enjoy the wonderful vistas. I did it in the middle of a snowstorm and don’t regret it one bit!
One tip for Sacré-Coeur: avoid walking into groups of foreigners asking you to sign petitions. I witnessed them become very aggressive toward tourists who walked past them and I did not like this. Take a route around them.
Outside the City center: Porte D’Asnières & Porte de Clichy
If you find yourself to the northwest of the city center near Porte D’Asnières, stop at Le Trebois Café. I strolled through this neighborhood after visiting Sacré-Coeur. Le Trebois is a bare-bones coffee shop, but the espresso is delicious, there is strong Wi-Fi and you can most importantly observe local life.
In Porte D’Asnières, Clichy and Porte de Clichy, you can escape the tourist hype to experience local life. I spent one day in these neighborhoods visiting friends and exploring the feel of the streets. A nearby shopping called So Ouest offers an hour of free high speed Wi-Fi, and so I browsed some stores as I warmed up from the cold.
Travel Authentically & Experience the Real Paris
Tourism is not all about landmark counting! Aside from the tips of where to go from this wolfyy guide, ask your Parisian friends where they love to go. Often the most memorable experiences are not taking a selfie in front of a landmark, but discovering hidden spots and mixing in with the locals.
Very importantly for maintaining some travel authenticity: don’t be a landmark counter! Some “must-do’s” for everyone visiting Paris for the first time are undoubtedly filled with tourist havens. The wonderful Louvre, the iconic Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and more. I encourage you to see some of these sights but don’t forget to try to get to know the Paris as locals know it.
Paris Gay Bars
Just about all of the gay bars in Paris are in Le Marais, the gay district. There are a bunch to choose from, so you can find one with a vibe that suits you. Wander the neighborhood; you can definitely afford to be picky!
Raidd Bar: Paris' Famous Shower Show
If you’re visiting in winter, get there earlier to avoid long coat check lines. I had an amazing time at Raidd Bar; the music was excellent and the people were fun!
Raidd Bar in Le Marais is a small high energy Paris gay nightclub famous for its “shower show,” where a, yes completely naked, dancer performs in a rain shower booth. The street level is open for dancing and the lower level has lounge space and a coat check.
Check out the Raidd Bar Paris Facebook Page for updates on events, as well as party photos.
Gibus Paris: The Dark, Intense Gay Party
Gibus is a popular gay afterhours party (starting at 4am) for the diehard dancers. The club plays trance-like music with heavy beats. It is a very dark, intense venue not for the faint of heart.
Take a look at upcoming events and the Gibus Gay Club itself on the Gibus Club Paris Facebook Page.
During a night out in Le Marais, I visited the Paris gay bar CUD, although I did so against the recommendation of a local friend. The venue wasn’t very impressive. There didn’t seem to be any Parisians and the music was a little odd. I guess Parisians don’t frequent this place I should have listened! Maybe skip CUD or save it for last.
Salle Wagram Gay Event: Papa Party
A planned event with friends, I attended an Eliad Cohen Papa Party featuring Netta at the Salle Wagram. Many Parisians, Spaniards and other northern Europeans danced the night away. The space is huge and I was stunned how efficient the security and coat check were. Clubs in New York should take note!
One other local favorite is a place called Restaurant Bar. Although I did not visit this specific venue, one of my Parisian friends loves it, so give it a try.
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Paris Travel Tips
The city of Paris may be huge, but if you didn’t know, the French don’t party as hard as other Europeans. There are tons of Paris gay bars, but if you are looking for larger circuit-party style venues on your Paris gay travel adventure, options will be a bit limited. Gibus, as mentioned before, is where you will find the gay locals who love to party until sunrise.
The metro unlimited ride pass works on a weekly basis that starts on Monday. It is a bit strange in that the pass does not work on a rolling 7-day basis. Instead, all passes expire on Sunday evening and on Monday, new unlimited passes begin. Buy single tickets until Monday comes and then get an unlimited if it is worth it for your stay.
Similar to cities like London and New York, don’t try to cover all of Paris in one shot! The city of love will take time to get to know. As I said earlier in this article, pick a few major tourist sites you really want to see. Then dedicate the remainder of your time to exploring neighborhoods and taking recommendations from locals. Spontaneity can bring the best moments!
Prices for goods and services in Paris are pretty much on par with other expensive cities like New York. For many things, like coffee and clothing, your dollar won’t go as far if you are American. On the other hand, wine is cheaper!
Thinking about visiting the south of France? Read the Nice Gay Travel Guide & the Montpellier Gay Travel Guide.
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Hey, I'm Louis!
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In 2018, I quit my job to travel the world. My mission is to provide authentic, local gay travel information to gay travelers everywhere.
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