Chez Moune Club

Pigalle - 9eme, Paris –

Opened in 1936 as a ladies-only club in the heart of Pigalle’s red light district – and frequented for a time by the legendary Edith Piaf – Chez Moune expanded its client base in 2008 when it converted to a late-night dancing den that attracts an eclectic mix of fashion conscious clubbers and chic hipsters.

An embellished Chez Moune emblem above a small doorway points patrons toward a steep staircase, at the bottom of which they pass through a set of swinging doors and into a dark and grungy space.

The sparse décor of black and mirrored tiles, scattered red velvet tapestries, and big gold frames gives the space the feel of a cabaret theater that was never quite finished, and this devil-may-care vibe is also embodied in the single sheet of notebook paper tacked to the wall that serves as the venue’s only drink menu.

Despite the rather funky aesthetics, the DJs who set up along the small elevated stage are often hot tickets in the underground electro scene, the crowd is consistently trendy, and the door is always tough.

But with a small dance floor packed with pretty people well into the next morning, Chez Moune is an ideal destination for anyone not ready to call it a night.