Paris Journal 2008

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Tom and I are not bar and night club people. What we like to do most is wander around Paris, mostly during the day or evening, but we’re generally home by 11PM at the latest. We stay out of trouble, and we keep our lives uncomplicated. So I get my information about Paris nightlife from the newspaper and maybe occasionally from another person. One of the headlines for yesterday’s Le Parisien is “The Musical Bars Deprived of Their Nights.” The teaser for the story says, “Parisian Nights: the Bars Must Close Earlier.” Being a person who does not like to be kept awake by drunken partiers, I found this to be interesting. So I read more. Here’s what’s happening . . . . A new regulation limits the hours that numerous Parisian bars can be open. Many who had previously been able to stay open until 4 or 5AM must now close by 2AM. People like Yves Renault, who has a bar in the Marais that has always been open until 5AM since its beginning in 2001, learned about the new rule when he applied for a renewal of his liquor license – a simple formality, or so he thought. But then at the end of June, the police prefecture responded to him, telling him that from now on, he will have to close his establishment at 2AM. Yves says he understands the need to control nuisances, but he claims he has never had problems with the neighbors. (Sure, but I wonder what the neighbors would say if you asked them when Yves is not around. I bet they’re not unhappy that Yves must close up earlier.) Which businesses are affected by this new rule? Of the 10,000 Paris establishments holding a license to serve alcohol, all of them have the right to stay open until 2AM. Nearly 700 of them until now have had the right to stay open until 5AM. Some of those now may lose that right. According to the new rule, the night-time establishments who mainly exist to offer their clients musical performances, shows, and the opportunity to dance can close after 2AM. Theatres, concert halls, music halls, and cinemas must close at 12:30AM. If they want to continue to be open later than that, they must send a “letter of motivation” to justify their nighttime vocation or their existence as a cultural or touristic place. It is confusing, but suffice it to say that bars in Paris can stay open until 2AM. Places that offer entertainment may have to close at 12:30AM, or they might be able to stay open until 2AM, or if they get special permission, they perhaps can stay open until 4 or 5AM. On certain holidays such as Quatorze Juillet (and the night before), Christmas eve, and New Years eve, everyone who has a liquor license can sell alcohol all night. Cheers!

Sunday, July 27, 2008 The Eiffel tower and the Peace Pavilion at night. President Sarkozy has so much energy and is so constantly on the move, taking action, that the French refer to him as the “Omni-President, the man who wants to do everything.” Sign my guestbook. View my guestbook.

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