Most people assume Paris earned its nickname, the City of Light (La Ville Lumière), because of its illuminated bridges and landmarks. Come evening, the Eiffel Tower, in particular, steals the show, sparkling for five minutes at the start of every hour after nightfall, with 20,000 light bulbs.
The nickname, however, has much deeper roots. In 1667, King Louis XIV appointed Gabriel Nicolas de La Reynie as Paris’s first Lieutenant general of police, tasking him with making the capital safer. He oversaw a major expansion of street lighting, installing thousands of lanterns across the city to improve safety and reduce crime, making Paris one of Europe’s first cities to embrace widespread urban lighting.
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The nickname became even more fitting during the Age of Enlightenment, when Paris established itself as a centre of philosophy, science, and culture – a city illuminated not just by lamps, but by intellectual and cultural progress.
Should you want a real taste for Paris, the City of Light really does come alive at night, from historic bars and Michelin-starred dining to opera and exclusive cultural experiences.
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The top things to do in Paris in the evening
Visit one of Paris’s historic bars
One of the most well-loved bars in Paris is inside Hôtel de Crillon. Le Bar des Ambassadeurs was originally created to attract fashionable Parisians, ambassadors, and dignitaries. Beautifully preserved, most of the room’s original fixtures remain intact, including marble walls, an 18th-century fresco-painted ceiling, and gilded moldings, while signature cocktails lean more avant-garde, with names like Cinema, Carnival, and Fun-Fair.
Bar Hemingway is another must, a bar which Tom Marchant, co-founder of luxury travel concierge Black Tomato, credits with carrying the “spirit of grandeur and creativity that defined Paris in the 1920s.” American writer Hemingway, if you hadn’t already guessed, was a regular at the 25-seat bar, which is decorated with his original photography and handwritten letters. Among its most famous drinks are the Serendipity, created here by Colin Field, and the dry martini, while bespoke cocktails remain the house speciality.
The Ritz Bar is a slightly more flashy affair – velvet-draped with a luminous ceiling. Come 5 pm, the bar’s nightly ritual involves a brass lantern ascending to the ceiling to reveal the circular bar, while projecting a fresco of zodiacal constellations, and kicking off music from the resident DJ.
Watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle
There are plenty of places to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle for free, and many of the top hotels allow guests to enjoy the view from their suite. But for those who want to make an occasion of it, we recommend pairing a view of the glittering landmark with some of Paris’s best fine dining.
A great reservation, for dinner and a perfect view, is two Michelin-starred L’Oiseau Blanc. Perched on a glass-covered rooftop at the top of the Peninsula Paris, the restaurant pays tribute to Charles Nungesser and François Coli, French aviation pioneers whose striking biplane replica appears still in flight, seemingly heading towards the Eiffel Tower.
For a romantic evening, the space offers an exclusive table for two, La Table Secréte, set on a manicured terrace away from the main restaurant, with a unique panorama of the Eiffel Tower and the City of Light below. Diners can enjoy a candlelit meal by chef David Bizet, with a dedicated butler service and private elevator access.
Catch a show at the opera
A trip to the opera is memorable in any city, but particularly so in Paris, which offers not one but two opera houses that together make Opéra de Paris: Opéra Bastille and Palais Garnier. Opéra Bastille is the newer of the two, opened in 1989 and designed by architect Carlos Ott.
Palais Garnier, commissioned by Napoleon III, is its opposite – marble, gilded moldings, and chandeliers dominate its soaring vaults. Watch a classical ballet or opera in its horseshoe-shaped auditorium, and don’t forget to look up at the famous Marc Chagall ceiling fresco.
Spend an evening in a Parisian jazz bar
By the 1920s, Paris had become synonymous with the Jazz Age, with neighbourhoods including Montmartre and Montparnasse attracting musicians and artists from around the world. Today, it remains one of Europe’s great jazz capitals, with historic clubs still hosting nightly performances.
We recommend making a stop at Caveau de la Huchette, tucked beneath the streets of the Latin Quarter, which has welcomed audiences since 1946. The vaulted cellar hosted legends including Memphis Slim and Sidney Bechet, and later appeared in La La Land. Today, live performances range from traditional swing to contemporary jazz.
Explore one of Paris’s cultural institutions after dark
Paris is famed for its rich museums and galleries, which, during peak season, heave with visitors. But, through specialist luxury travel companies, concierge services, and, often, knowing the right people, it is possible to arrange exclusive after-hours access to some of Paris’ most famous museums.
Luxury travel concierges like Scott Dunn Private, Séntire, and members’ club Le Chéile can privatize the Louvre in the evening, so keen art enthusiasts can view masterpieces like the Mona Lisa without the crowds, and with the insight of an on-site curator or expert art historian – “one of the few genuine luxuries left in Paris,” according to Christina Seredzinsky, founder of Séntire.
Travel operator Original Travel also offers out-of-hours access to the Notre Dame and the Musée d’Orsay, with exclusive access to areas not normally open to the public.
Book tickets for a cabaret show
As well as its picture-perfect windmill, Moulin Rouge still shows its historic cabaret performance twice every evening. The institution has embodied the Paris party spirit since 1889 with a Féerie Revue show of 80 artists, 1000 costumes, and, of course, the legendary French Cancan.
Premium hospitality packages include Champagne, priority entry and, on selected experiences, multi-course dining. VIP guests will be welcomed by the maître d’ and accompanied through a private door to avoid the queues, and enjoy the show from a smaller, more exclusive balcony, with just 24 seats.
