BestTime
Quick answer
We analysed 290 Paris bars, pubs and clubs. Saturday is the busiest night, with the average venue peaking at 9 PM and 10 PM. Thursday is the busiest weeknight. Monday and Sunday are equally quiet. The standout finding: the average bar is fullest at 10 PM on Friday and at 9 PM and 10 PM on Saturday, well before midnight.
- Sat
- the big night out, busiest around 9 PM and 10 PM
- Thursday
- liveliest weeknight
- 290
- bars and clubs compared
When Paris nightlife gets busy, night by night. BestTime forecasts.
Night by night
Busyness is a percentage of each venue's own busiest hour of the week (100%), not a head count, and the peak hour shows when the average venue is fullest.
| Night | Average busyness (% of weekly peak, 6 PM to 4 AM) | Peak hour | Share of venues lively (70%+ of their peak) | Share of venues whose busiest night it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 20% | 7 PM to 9 PM (35%) | 14% | 0% |
| Tuesday | 30% | 8 PM and 9 PM (55%) | 37% | 5% |
| Wednesday | 35% | 8 PM and 9 PM (55%) | 41% | 5% |
| Thursday | 40% | 9 PM (65%) | 54% | 6% |
| Friday | 45% | 10 PM (75%) | 82% | 20% |
| Saturday | 55% | 9 PM and 10 PM (80%) | 92% | 63% |
| Sunday | 20% | 6 PM to 9 PM (30%) | 15% | 1% |
Paris fills up after dinner, but not as late as its reputation suggests. On Saturday the average venue is at 70% by 8 PM and holds 80% at 9 PM and 10 PM. It is at 75% at 11 PM, then drops to 55% by midnight and 35% at 1 AM on Saturday night. By 2 AM it is at 10%.
Saturday leads clearly. 63% of venues have their busiest night on Saturday, against 20% for Friday. Friday peaks once, at 10 PM (75%), and 82% of venues are lively.
The working week builds steadily. Monday peaks at 35%, Tuesday and Wednesday at 55%, and Thursday at 65%. Sunday is an early night: its busiest stretch runs from 6 PM to 9 PM, at 30%.
Neighborhoods
Le Marais
Le Marais has 21 venues in our set. Saturday is the busiest night, and Monday and Sunday are equally quiet. Friday peaks at 10 PM, and Saturday at 9 PM and 10 PM. On Saturday 95% of Marais venues are lively, and 76% have it as their busiest night.
Little Red Door, a cocktail bar on Rue Charlot behind a small red door, peaks on Saturday at 10 PM. 38Riv Jazz Club, a small jazz club in a vaulted stone cellar on Rue de Rivoli, also peaks on Saturday at 10 PM. The Auld Alliance, a Scottish pub with a large whisky selection, has its busiest hour on Wednesday at 9 PM.
38Riv Jazz Club:
Quietest: Saturday 2 AM (20%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
The Auld Alliance:
Quietest: Sunday 1 AM (10%)Busiest: Wednesday 9 PM (100%)
Pigalle
Pigalle, often called SoPi, has 16 venues in our set. Saturday is its busiest night, and Monday and Sunday are equally quiet. It peaks at 10 PM and 11 PM on Friday and at 11 PM on Saturday. Every Pigalle venue in our set is lively on a Saturday, and none is lively on a Monday.
O'Sullivans Pigalle, an Irish pub on Boulevard de Clichy, peaks on Saturday at 11 PM. The French Flair peaks on Saturday at 10 PM. Dirty Dick, a tiki-style cocktail bar on Rue Frochot, peaks on Saturday at 11 PM and is at 95% at 11 PM on a Friday.
Dirty Dick:
Quietest: Sunday 7 PM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 11 PM (100%)
Oberkampf
Oberkampf, a favourite area for locals going out, has 17 venues. Saturday is the busiest night, and Monday and Sunday are equally quiet. Friday and Saturday both peak at 10 PM. 24% of venues here have their busiest night on Friday.
Le Perchoir, a rooftop bar and restaurant, and Le Bercail both peak on Saturday at 10 PM. L'Alimentation Générale, a bar and live music club on Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, peaks on Saturday at 11 PM.
Le Perchoir:
Quietest: Sunday 10 PM (15%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
L'Alimentation Générale:
Quietest: Wednesday 1 AM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 11 PM (100%)
Bastille
Bastille, around Rue de Lappe and Rue de la Roquette, has 16 venues. Saturday is its busiest night and Monday its quietest. Friday and Saturday both peak at 11 PM. 31% of Bastille venues have their busiest night on Friday.
Moonshiner, a speakeasy cocktail bar hidden behind a pizzeria, peaks on Saturday at 11 PM. Le Balajo, a dance hall open since 1936, has its busiest hour on Thursday at 10 PM.
Moonshiner:
Quietest: Friday 2 AM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 11 PM (100%)
Saint-Germain
Saint-Germain has 21 venues. Friday and Saturday are equally busy, and Monday and Sunday are equally quiet. Friday peaks at 10 PM, and Saturday from 9 PM to 11 PM. Thursday is strong here: 71% of venues are lively.
Prescription Cocktail Club peaks on Saturday at 10 PM. La Rhumerie, a rum bar open since 1932, peaks on Saturday at 7 PM. Chez Prince peaks on Friday at 10 PM.
La Rhumerie:
Quietest: Sunday 11 AM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 7 PM (100%)
Latin Quarter
The Latin Quarter, a student pub zone, has 16 venues. Saturday is its busiest night and Monday its quietest. Friday and Saturday both peak at 10 PM. Every venue here is lively on a Saturday.
Pub St Germain peaks on Saturday at 11 PM. Caveau de la Huchette, a jazz and swing dance club in a medieval cellar open since 1946, peaks on Saturday at 10 PM. Le Caveau des Oubliettes also peaks on Saturday at 10 PM.
Caveau de la Huchette:
Quietest: Friday 3 AM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
Châtelet
Châtelet, known for the jazz clubs of Rue des Lombards, has 24 venues. Saturday is the busiest night, and Monday and Sunday are equally quiet. Friday peaks at 10 PM, and Saturday at 10 PM and 11 PM. On Friday 92% of venues are lively, against 88% on Saturday.
Temple Rock Tavern and Le Duc des Lombards both peak on Saturday at 11 PM. Le Dernier Bar avant la Fin du Monde peaks on Friday at 9 PM.
Le Duc des Lombards:
Quietest: Thursday 7 PM (20%)Busiest: Saturday 11 PM (100%)
Lively on a weeknight
These venues get closest to their own peak late on Monday to Thursday. The number is the highest value between 9 PM and 2 AM on those four nights, averaged.
Le Cristal leads with 90%. Its busiest hour of the week is Tuesday at 9 PM.
Quietest: Monday 1 AM (15%)Busiest: Tuesday 9 PM (100%)
The Moose, a Canadian-themed sports bar in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, reaches 85%. It peaks on Wednesday at 8 PM.
Quietest: Wednesday 1 PM (10%)Busiest: Wednesday 8 PM (100%)
Le Syndicat, Bugsy's and The Green Linnet also reach 85%. Le Syndicat peaks on Thursday at 9 PM, and The Green Linnet on Wednesday at 10 PM.
Le Syndicat:
Quietest: Wednesday 1 AM (20%)Busiest: Thursday 9 PM (100%)
Busiest at 11 PM on a Friday
At 11 PM on Friday the average Paris venue is at 70%. Five venues are at 100% of their own peak at that hour: Lavomatic, Fitzroy, COOL'IN Bar - République, Tiger and Plan B.
Fitzroy:
Quietest: Saturday 5 PM (5%)Busiest: Friday 11 PM (100%)
Tiger:
Quietest: Saturday 5 PM (15%)Busiest: Friday 11 PM (100%)
Lavomatic peaks on Friday at 10 PM and drops to 70% at 11 PM on a Saturday. Plan B is at 65% at that Saturday hour.
Clubs
We analysed 33 venues listed as clubs. They peak at 11 PM on Friday and Saturday, and at 9 PM or 10 PM on weeknights. Saturday averages 55% with 88% of them lively, against 45% and 64% on Friday. Monday is their quietest night. 67% have their busiest night on Saturday.
La Bellevilloise is a Friday venue: it peaks on Friday at 11 PM and is at 80% at 11 PM on a Saturday.
Quietest: Monday 5 PM (10%)Busiest: Friday 11 PM (100%)
Café Oz Denfert peaks on Saturday at 11 PM and reaches 75% late on weeknights.
Café Oz Denfert - The Australian Bar:
Quietest: Tuesday 3 AM (5%)Busiest: Saturday 11 PM (100%)
Tips
- Arrive by 9 PM on a Saturday. The average venue is already at 80% then, and it is down to 55% by midnight.
- For a late night, end in Pigalle or Bastille. Both peak at 11 PM on Saturday.
- Pick Saint-Germain on a Thursday. 71% of its venues are lively that night.
- Want a quiet drink? Sunday's busiest stretch is 6 PM to 9 PM, at only 30%.
- Try Friday in Bastille. 31% of its venues have Friday as their busiest night.
- Save clubs for 11 PM on Saturday, when they are at their peak.
How we measured
These numbers are BestTime forecasts, built from anonymized, aggregated phone location data combined with real-world signals such as weather, events and holidays. Busyness is a percentage of each venue's own busiest hour of the week (100%), not a head count or capacity. Nights run from 6 AM to 5 AM, so 1 AM on Saturday morning counts as Friday night. The forecasts describe a typical week and do not cover seasons, holidays, special events or door queues. Read more about how the forecasts work.
Next steps
- Find busy bars tonight in the free Paris bar guide.
- Check when clubs fill up in the free Paris nightclub guide.
- Learn how to see if a bar or club is busy before you go.
- Planning the daytime too? Read the Best Time to Visit the Louvre (2026): Least Busy Days and Hours.
- Browse all busy times guides.
Questions
What day to go out in Paris?
Saturday. Across 290 Paris venues it averages 55% of each venue's weekly peak between 6 PM and 4 AM, and 92% of venues are lively. Thursday is the best weeknight, peaking at 9 PM (65%).
What time do bars get busy in Paris?
Earlier than many expect. The average Paris venue peaks at 9 PM and 10 PM on Saturday and at 10 PM on Friday. By midnight on Saturday it is down to 55%.
What is the best weeknight to go out in Paris?
Thursday. It averages 40%, peaks at 9 PM (65%), and 54% of venues are lively that night.
When do clubs get busy in Paris?
Venues listed as clubs peak at 11 PM on Friday and Saturday. Saturday is their main night, with 88% of them lively and 67% having it as their busiest night.
Is Paris nightlife busy on a Tuesday?
Moderately. Tuesday averages 30% and peaks at 8 PM and 9 PM (55%). 37% of venues are lively, and 5% have Tuesday as their busiest night.
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