Where To Get Your Techno Music Experience In Paris

Publish:

January 18, 2023

Photo of the entrance to Le Carmen Paris nightclub with a red neon light sign

Techno music is a genre of music known for its electronic beats and wordless songs. Although there is a variety of techno music today, my favorite is melodic techno. This type of music, as the name suggests, often has "melodic" tunes that are very familiar and easy to remember. Notable melodic techno artists include Tales of us, Biceps and Monolink.

Since arriving in Paris in August 2022 for my year abroad at Université Panthéon-Sorbonne Paris 1, I have been searching for good techno clubs and festivals in my new city, with a focus on techno melody. In this blog entry I will introduce you to some of the most famous techno clubs in Paris and give you my opinion about them.

1. Zenith Paris

In the middle of the green park of La Villette, XIX. Located in the district, ^Zénith is a large event hall that hosts several concerts every year. I went to this club to see Biceps, one of my favorite melodic techno artists. Although the concert hall can hold about 700 people, it didn't seem too crowded or full. The special effects used in the show were very good and I really enjoyed it.

Photo of Zenith nightclub in Paris with pink and blue neon lights

2. Carmen

This is one of the "real" techno clubs I've been to. It is located in the 9th ^{arrondissement} , a stone's throw from the Moulin Rouge, and in a more "alternative" Paris, generally comparable to London's Soho. This club has two floors; one of which focuses on "pure" tuneless, sometimes rather repetitive techno. Instead, the first floor plays techno music with electronic and often melodic sounds, depending on the night and the artists.

What I love most about this club is the interior design (see photos below). The main hall gives you the feeling of partying in an elite castle club. At the same time, the red light turns the room into a very cool "Berlin techno club" atmosphere that reminds you of Berghain.

Photo of Le Carmen Paris nightclub with red light inside

3. Mirage Paris

Finally, my favorite is the Mirage Paris, located on the Champs-Élysées in the ^8th arrondissement, near the Arc de Triomphe. This club is known for hosting niche DJs from Thursday to Sunday. This means you'll often find yourself surrounded by quite a few young people, mostly in their twenties, who are more likely to DJ than club. It creates a very nice atmosphere in the club, because everyone knows the DJ while dancing and appreciates the art of techno music.

The club itself has a lot of Japanese decorations and even uses red and blue lights like Le Carmen. However, unlike Carmen, Mirage Paris offers a more intimate atmosphere, as it can accommodate no more than 80-100 people. So every time I go to this club it feels like a private concert rather than a great club experience.

Image of the Mirage Paris nightclub with blue and red neon lights