Viktoria is a third-year English and European Law student here at Queen Mary. She is currently completing her year abroad at Université Panthéon-Sorbonne. Read her best tips about finding the best techno music clubs in Paris.
Techno Music is a music genre which is known for electronic beats and songs without lyrics most of the time. Despite the fact that a broad variety of techno music exists nowadays, my personal favourite is melodic techno. This kind of music involves, just like the title indicates, ‘melodic’ tones and melodies which are often very recognisable and easy to remember. Famous melodic techno music artists include Tales of us, Biceps and Monolink.
Since I moved to Paris for my year abroad at Université Panthéon-Sorbonne Paris 1 in August 2022, I have been on the lookout for good techno clubs and festivals in my new city, with a particular focus on melodic techno. In this blog post, I will introduce you to some of Paris’ most popular techno clubs and give you my thoughts on them.
1. Zénith Paris
Located in the middle of the green park La Villette, in the 19th arrondissement (district), Zénith is a big event hall which hosts a number of concerts every year. I went to this club to watch one of my favourite melodic techno artists ‘Biceps’. Although the concert hall fits around 700 people, it did not feel too packed or overcrowded. The special effects used during the show were very good and I had an amazing time.
2. Le Carmen
This is one of the ‘real’ techno clubs that I have been to. Located in the 9th arrondissement, it is close to the Moulin Rouge, and in general, on a more ‘alternative’ side of Paris, comparable to Soho in London. This club consists of two floors; one of which focuses on ‘pure' techno music without any melodies, which can be a little bit repetitive sometimes. In contrast, the main floor plays techno music with electronical, and often melodic, sounds depending on the evening and the artists.
What I liked the most about this club was the interior design (see picture below). The main room gives you the impression that you are partying in an elite castle-like club. At the same time, the red light transforms the room into a very cool ‘Berlin-techno club’ atmosphere which might remind you of Berghain.
3. Mirage Paris
Last but not least, my personal favourite is Mirage Paris, which can be found right next to the Champs-Elysée in the 8th arrondissement, close to l’Arc de Triomphe. This club is known for hosting niche DJs from Thursday to Sunday. This means that most of the time, you will find yourself surrounded by fairly young people, mostly between the age of 20 and 25, who are there not only for the club but primarily for the DJ. This creates a very cool ambiance in the club as everyone faces the DJ while dancing and makes you appreciate the ‘art’ of techno music.
The club itself has a lot of Japanese decoration and also uses red and blue lights just like Le Carmen. However, in contrast to Le Carmen, Mirage Paris provides a much more intimate environment as there is only space for no more than 80-100 people. This is why whenever I go to this club, it feels more like a private concert, than a huge club experience.