Student and Erasmus Nightlife in Paris: Where to Go Out
· Updated:
Students in Paris mostly go out in the east and north-east of the city, around Oberkampf, Bastille, Belleville, the Canal Saint-Martin and La Villette, and Thursday is a real night out there: Badaboum, La Java and Mia Mao all open that day. For Erasmus and other international students, the association to know is ESN Paris, which welcomes newcomers and runs events with reduced prices for ESNcard holders.
Paris has a huge student population from abroad. Campus France counted 443,500 international students in France in 2024–2025, up 3%, with Morocco, Algeria, China, Italy and Senegal as the main countries of origin. The Cité internationale universitaire de Paris alone, a 34-hectare park in the 14e, houses around 12,000 residents a year from 140 to 150 nationalities. This guide covers the associations, the clubs that open midweek, the areas that suit a student night and how to get home.
ESN Paris and the ESNcard
ESN Paris is the Paris section of the Erasmus Student Network, a student association whose stated mission is to welcome international students and promote international mobility. Its ESNcard gives you, in its own words, a wide choice of partners and reduced prices at its events. It also helps with practical matters such as housing tips. Its events are announced on its website (paris.esnfrance.org) and on Instagram, @esnparis; it hadn't published a calendar for 2026–2027 when we checked on 3 November 2026, so follow its account. An older list of ESN sections in the Île-de-France region also includes sections attached to specific schools, such as Assas, Dauphine or the De Vinci campus in Courbevoie; ask your international office which one covers you.
One thing we don't do on this site is list private companies that sell “Erasmus parties”. If you're invited to one, it's usually a regular club night sold to international students, so the clubs below are the ones that matter.
Clubs open on Thursday
| Club | Area | Thursday | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badaboum | 11e, Bastille | CH!CK pop night | Pop on Thursdays; house, disco, techno at weekends |
| La Java | 10e, Belleville | Club 11pm–6am | House, techno, playful club sounds |
| Mia Mao | 19e, La Villette | 11pm–6:30am | Techno, house, trance, drum & bass |
| Madame Arthur | 18e, Pigalle | Cabaret then club from 11pm | French-language music only |
| Bus Palladium | 9e, Pigalle | 11pm–5am | DJ sets, performances, aftershows |
| Raspoutine | 8e, Champs-Élysées | Kabukicho night | Deep house |
Badaboum, at 2 bis rue des Taillandiers near Bastille, is the obvious Thursday pick for a group that wants hits rather than techno: its Thursday night CH!CK is a pop party, and upstairs the mini-club plays funk, disco and hip-hop. La Java, the low-ceilinged hall on rue du Faubourg du Temple, runs its club from 11pm to 6am on Thursdays. Mia Mao, the warehouse in La Villette, opens at 11pm and goes until 6:30am, for those who want techno midweek.
Weekend nights that suit a mixed group
International groups rarely agree on music, so pick places that cover several tastes. Les Étoiles, a former theatre on rue du Château d'Eau (10e), runs bal-style nights with dance hits from the 80s to today: “Mini Club” on Friday and “La Dancing” on Saturday, from 11:55pm. La Machine du Moulin Rouge, at Blanche, has three spaces and a programme that goes from techno to 90s revival nights. Nouveau Casino on rue Oberkampf follows its evening concerts with club nights on Friday and Saturday, including amapiano and afrobeats nights. And Bateau Phare, the red boat at Port de la Gare, changes music every night, from French pop to shatta, amapiano or salsa.
The best areas for a student night
The east of Paris works best: Oberkampf and Bastille (11e) for bars before and clubs after, Belleville and the Canal Saint-Martin (10e) for La Java and Point Éphémère, and La Villette (19e) for the big warehouses. Clubs there are built around the dancefloor, with no table service and no formal dress code at most of them. The 8e and 16e, around the Champs-Élysées, are a different world of tables and selective doors; if your group wants that once, read our guide to the area first. Our neighbourhood guide covers all of them.
Where to go out in Paris, area by area →Practical tips
Bring an original ID: several clubs check it at the door, and Mia Mao asks for a proper ID document. Holiday eves work like Saturdays: in 2026, 11 November is a Wednesday, so Tuesday 10 November had extra club nights at Badaboum, La Java, Djoon and La Bellevilloise. For the way home, the metro stops around 1:15am on weeknights at the end of the line, and around 2:15am on Fridays and Saturdays; after that, the Noctilien night buses run until about 5:30am and your Navigo or Imagine R pass is valid. If you're organising a birthday or a group night, message us on WhatsApp.
Getting home at night: metro, Noctilien, taxi →Plan a group night with us on WhatsAppFrequently asked questions
Is there an Erasmus night in Paris?
The student association to know is ESN Paris, which welcomes international students and runs events, with reduced prices for ESNcard holders. It announces its events on its website and on Instagram (@esnparis). We don't list private party organisers.
What is the ESNcard?
The membership card of the Erasmus Student Network. ESN Paris says it gives access to a wide choice of partners and reduced prices at its events.
Which clubs are open on Thursday in Paris?
Among others, Badaboum (CH!CK, a pop night), La Java (11pm to 6am), Mia Mao (11pm to 6:30am), Madame Arthur and Bus Palladium. In the west, Raspoutine and L'Arc also open on Thursday.
Where do students go out in Paris?
Mostly in the east and north-east: Oberkampf, Bastille, Belleville, the Canal Saint-Martin and La Villette, where the clubs are about the dancefloor rather than tables, plus Pigalle for the mixed crowd.
Do I need ID to get into a Paris club?
Bring an original ID. Several clubs check it at the door, and some, like Mia Mao, ask for the original document rather than a photo.
Clubs mentioned
Ready for your night in Paris?
Tickets & clubs