Earlier this month I was lucky enough to find myself in Paris, stood outside the Latin Quarter’s famous Caveau de la Huchette with my friends and excited to finally enter one of the world’s most notorious jazz clubs. These days the club is known for its brief inclusion in Damien Chazelle’s La La Land, but it’s been a central part of Paris nightlife since 1949, and has hosted jazz greats including Lionel Hampton, Count Basie and Art Blakey.
If you’re thinking of visiting Caveau de la Huchette (and if you’re in Paris for any length of time, it’s a must), here are five things that are good to know before you book those Eurostar tickets.
It really did feature in La La Land… kind of
Yes, TikTok has branded the Caveau as “the La La Land jazz bar”, but in reality the location only features for a brief second in the film, with a shot of the club’s exterior neon sign. Sebastian actually woos Mia at the Lighthouse Cafe in Los Angeles, another legendary jazz club that opened the same year as the Caveau. Film fans needn’t despair though – Caveau de la Huchette gets much more comprehensive coverage in French cinema classics Les Tricheurs and Bonjour Tristesse.
Get there early on weekends
Locals told us that the vibe at the Caveau changes dramatically depending on whether you’re there on the weekend or midweek. Come midweek for a more relaxed vibe with more space to dance, or tackle the weekend queues for a packed atmosphere, noisier bands and less room for a twizzle. The club hosts live bands every evening, so either way you won’t end up empty handed.
The queue will be long but speedy
When we arrived at 9.30pm on a Sunday night in April, the queue below the famous neon sign looked suspiciously short. Our suspicions were true – it turns out the queue crosses Rue du Petit Pont (with the help of some stewards) and continues on the pavement down Quai de Montebello. Aim for Shakespeare and Company at peak times if you want to get straight to the back of the queue. Our queue was quick and picturesque below the Notre Dame, and we were given funky ultraviolet stamps with our queue number before entering. Tickets are 10€ for students, and 14€ for everyone else.
Prepare for pricey drinks
Drinks at one of Paris’ most famous clubs don’t come cheap. You won’t find anything with alcohol going for less than 7€, and our vodka lemonades were closer to 15€. As for champagne, prices start at 85€. My advice is to hydrate and inebriate in advance from a much cheaper corner shop – Paris Market on Rue de la Harpe is closest, and stays open until 2am. The good news is drinking on the streets is legal in France, just don’t get too drunk.
Dress lightly and dance the night away
Caveau de la Huchette attracts professional swing dancers from near and far, but you don’t have to know your lindy hop from your collegiate shag to have a good time here. The venue is in an underground cellar, so ventilation is limited – dress lightly and expect to get sweaty. The second and third sets of the night (starting at 11pm and 12.30am respectively) tend to be the most raucous. You’ll have to call it a night or continue the party elsewhere when the club wraps things up at 2am.
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