19 live music worth the night across France, editor-ranked. All France guides.
Hot Club de Lyon ★ 4.7 · Lyon
1er · 26 Rue Lanterne, 69001 Lyon
Hot Club de Lyon in the 1er Presquile is the vaulted-cellar jazz room founded by Beaux-Arts students in 1948, now the oldest continuously running jazz club in Europe, with more than 200 concerts a year on Rue Lanterne.
Tip: Concert tickets 12-18 EUR via the venue site; Thursday and Friday jam sessions at 22:30 are free once the bill has finished.
Caveau de la Huchette ★ 4.6 · Paris
5e · 5 Rue de la Huchette, 75005 Paris
Caveau de la Huchette in Paris's 5e is the medieval cellar jazz club opened 1946 that is the oldest still running in the city, with a sprung dance floor and a swing orchestra nightly.
Tip: Cover €15-18 weeknights, €18-21 weekends, cash or card at the door. The dance floor opens after the first orchestra set around 22:30.
Le Periscope ★ 4.5 · Lyon
2e · 13 Rue Delandine, 69002 Lyon
Le Periscope in Lyon's 2e Confluence is the SMAC-labelled jazz and improvised music room on Rue Delandine, open since 2007 and running over 100 concerts a year plus the RECIF festival each April.
Tip: Tickets 10-18 EUR, reservation on the venue site; RECIF festival mid-April is the easiest first visit, with 14 sets across five nights.
Espace Julien ★ 4.5 · Marseille
Cours Julien (6e) · 39 Cours Julien, 13006 Marseille
Espace Julien in Marseille's 6e Cours Julien is the 800-capacity concert hall opened 1984 in the artists' district, with a rock, hip-hop, electronic and world programme, plus the Café Julien stage downstairs for emerging acts.
Tip: Tickets €18-35 via the venue site; Café Julien downstairs runs free or low-cover sets most weeknights.
New Morning ★ 4.5 · Paris
10e · 7-9 Rue des Petites Écuries, 75010 Paris
New Morning in Paris's 10e is the Rue des Petites Écuries jazz room open since 1981, with a black-box stage that has hosted Chet Baker, Stan Getz and Prince and still books jazz, funk and afrobeat nightly.
Tip: Tickets €25-45 via the venue site; arrive 19:30 for unreserved seating closer to the stage.
Sunset Sunside ★ 4.5 · Paris
1er · 60 Rue des Lombards, 75001 Paris
Sunset Sunside on Rue des Lombards in Paris's 1er is the twin jazz club where the upstairs Sunside books acoustic sets and the basement Sunset runs electric and fusion, two shows a night seven nights a week.
Tip: Tickets €25-35 per set; the first set at 20:00 is calmer than the 22:00 turnaround.
Le Duc des Lombards ★ 4.5 · Paris
1er · 42 Rue des Lombards, 75001 Paris
Le Duc des Lombards on the Lombards jazz strip in Paris's 1er is the TSF Jazz partner club booking established names and rising French talent, with table service through both sets each night.
Tip: Book a table for the 21:30 set in advance; the early 19:30 set is the easier walk-in window.
La Clef de Voute ★ 4.4 · Lyon
1er · 1 Place Chardonnet, 69001 Lyon
La Clef de Voute in Lyon's 1er Croix-Rousse slopes is the 18th-century vaulted cellar booking more than 150 jazz nights a year since 2004, with free entry and a Saint-Germain-style table service.
Tip: Free entry but reservations only via the venue site; book Tuesday for the next weekend, drinks order at the table is the only spend.
La Caravelle ★ 4.4 · Marseille
Vieux Port (2e) · 34 Quai du Port, 13002 Marseille
La Caravelle on the Quai du Port in Marseille's 2e is the first-floor mezzanine bar above the Hôtel Belle-Vue, open since the 1920s, with a tiny balcony over the Vieux Port and Wednesday and Friday live jazz from 21:00.
Tip: Climb the staircase next to the hotel reception; the balcony seats six and fills first. Pastis €4 at the bar, cocktails €11-14.
Le Bataclan ★ 4.4 · Paris
11e · 50 Boulevard Voltaire, 75011 Paris
Le Bataclan in Paris's 11e is the 1,500-capacity Boulevard Voltaire concert hall with the painted pagoda facade, rebuilt and reopened in November 2016 and booking touring rock, rap and electronic acts.
Tip: Allow extra time for bag check at door; balcony seated tier is the easier sightline if you arrive after 20:00.
Marche Gare ★ 4.3 · Lyon
2e · 4-6 Place Hubert Mounier, 69002 Lyon
Marche Gare in Lyon's 2e Confluence is the 414-capacity concert hall in the former wholesale-market admin building, renovated in 2022 with the 100-cap KiosK side room and a 20th-anniversary indie, hip-hop and electro programme.
Tip: Tram T1 stop Sainte Blandine; the upstairs main hall is standing-only, the KiosK side room is the 100-cap seated alternative.
Le Molotov ★ 4.3 · Marseille
Cours Julien (6e) · 3 Place Paul Cézanne, 13006 Marseille
Le Molotov in Marseille's 6e Cours Julien is the small Place Paul Cézanne club programming rock, reggae, hip-hop, jazz and electro since 2012, with sister rooms Le Dodu in the 3e and Théâtre Silvain in the 7e.
Tip: Tickets €8-20 on the venue site; capacity is tight so weekend bookings sell out a fortnight ahead.
L'Affranchi ★ 4.3 · Marseille
Saint-Marcel (11e) · 212 Boulevard Saint-Marcel, 13011 Marseille
L'Affranchi in Marseille's 11e Saint-Marcel is the SMAC-labelled hip-hop complex inaugurated 1996, with a 380-seat concert hall, a studio and a DJ school that has hosted IAM, Akhenaton and most of the French rap roster.
Tip: €2 yearly membership added to your first ticket of the year; tickets €12-22. Bus 12 from Castellane is the easier route home.
La Bellevilloise ★ 4.3 · Paris
20e · 19-21 Rue Boyer, 75020 Paris
La Bellevilloise in Paris's 20e Ménilmontant is the four-floor Maison du Peuple built 1908 and reopened in 2006 as a 2,000m² venue with the Halle aux Oliviers jazz brunch, club floors and a roof terrace.
Tip: The Sunday jazz brunch in the Halle aux Oliviers runs 11:00-15:00, €38 with live trio; book a fortnight ahead.
La Maroquinerie ★ 4.3 · Paris
20e · 23 Rue Boyer, 75020 Paris
La Maroquinerie in Paris's 20e Ménilmontant is the 500-capacity former leather workshop next to La Bellevilloise, with a sweat-soaked basement room that breaks indie acts on their first French tours.
Tip: The courtyard restaurant opens 19:00 for a pre-show plate; doors usually 19:30, headliner at 21:00.
Le Makeda ★ 4.2 · Marseille
La Plaine · 103 Rue Ferrari, 13005 Marseille
Le Makeda in Marseille's 5e at the edge of La Plaine is the 270-capacity Rue Ferrari concert hall and DJ-set venue opened March 2019, run by Francine Ouedraogo Bonnot and Aude Straub on the bones of the former Poste à Galène.
Tip: Tickets €10-22; the room runs concerts plus DJ sets, scenic residencies and release parties through the week.
Café de la Danse ★ 4.2 · Paris
11e · 5 Passage Louis-Philippe, 75011 Paris
Café de la Danse in Paris's 11e is the 500-capacity Passage Louis-Philippe room off Rue de Lappe, with seated and standing configurations and a chanson, pop and acoustic programme since 1991.
Tip: Find the entrance on Rue de Lappe through the covered passage; the upper balcony is the easier seated tier.
Le Trabendo ★ 4.2 · Paris
19e · 211 Avenue Jean-Jaurès, 75019 Paris
Le Trabendo in Paris's 19e Parc de la Villette is the 700-capacity red-clad Bernard Tschumi folie booking emerging rap, alt-rock and electronic acts, with an outdoor terrace by the canal.
Tip: Closest entry is Métro 5 Porte de Pantin; the terrace opens 19:00 for a pre-set drink.
Le Mélo ★ 4.1 · Marseille
Cours Julien (6e) · 68 Cours Julien, 13006 Marseille
Le Mélo on Cours Julien in Marseille's 6e is the corner café-concert that hosts the Marseille Jazz Collective jam every Sunday from 18:30, then flips to karaoke Thursday and DJ sets Friday-Saturday until 02:00.
Tip: Sunday jazz jam is free; arrive by 19:00 for a banquette. House piano, drum kit and bass are set up for sit-ins.