Pitchfork Paris 2016 will soon be upon us, featuring performances from the likes of M.I.A., Moderat, Nick Murphy, DJ Shadow, Bat for Lashes, Todd Terje and the Olsens, Daphni, Explosions in the Sky, Warpaint, Mount Kimbie, Parquet Courts, and many more. Tickets are still available for the main festival, the Avant-Garde block party, and the after-parties, all coming up next week. (And if this sounds fun, why don’t you enter to win our free trip there?)
To help you maximize your time in the French capital, we’ve given our annual guide to the city a polish. Highlights for 2016 include record shop-cum-bar Walrus, an exhibition of African-American protest art, and Parquet Courts’ number one tip for Gallic vintage.
Exhibitions and other attractions (les expositions et autres attractions)
Eva & Adele: You Are My Biggest Inspiration
For the past 25 years, the futuristic duo known as Eva and Adele have erased gender boundaries with their work: the couple sport matching shaved heads and hot pink attire, and declare everywhere they go to be a museum. Until February 2017, their names will be above the door at the Musée d’Art Moderne, which will show several video projections, sculptures, and a Polaroid diary spanning 1991—2005. 11 Avenue du Président Wilson, 75116
The Color Line: African-American Artists and Segregation
Le Musée du quai Branly traces the past 150 years of black protest art, from vaudeville to the Harlem Renaissance and Billie Holiday. 37 Quai Branly, 75007
Joann Sfar — Salvador Dalí: Une seconde avant l’éveil
Joann Sfar is a French polymath: one of the country’s most famous living graphic novelists, and in Gainsbourg: Vie héroïque, the writer and director of a biopic of the late songwriter and enfant terrible. This fall, he’s teamed up with l’Espace Dali for an exhibition that interweaves the Spanish artist’s paintings and a new cartoon about an artist who sequesters himself with four naked supermodels in an attempt to reproduce Dali’s best known paintings. 11 Rue Poulbot, 75018
Les Instants Chavirés
Back in February, writer Philip Bloomfield visited this trailblazing alternative venue for Pitchfork’s Living Rooms series on global punk and DIY spaces. They’re also currently showing three exhibitions: the sculpture and film-based installations of Théodora Barat, Vladimir Léon’s film Le Polyèdre et L’Eléphant, and a retrospective of Christian Hidaka and Raphaël Zarka’s sculpture series, “La Famille Schoenflies”. 7, rue Richard-Lenoir 93100
La Cinémathèque Française
Situated in a gorgeous Frank Gehry building, the Cinémathèque Française is home to the Musée du Cinéma, a bookshop, exhibition space, and four screens. This October offers a few special retrospectives: De Méliès à la 3D: La Machine Cinéma traces developments in cinema technology, from the in-camera effects of Georges Méliès to today’s digital revolution; Élections à l’Américaine is a season of films about the US presidential race, and l’Écran Japonais shows the best of Japanese cinema and related effects. 51 Rue de Bercy, 75012
ART 42
This brand new gallery is France’s first permanent collection of street art, showing pieces from Banksy to Zevs. 96 Boulevard Bessières, 75017
MMM — Matthieu Chedid rencontre Martin Parr
At the Philharmonie de Paris this fall, nine photographs by British artist Martin Parr are projected onto the walls of the Église des Frères-Prêcheurs and paired with new compositional “homages” from musician Matthieu Chedid. Cité, 221 Avenue Jean Jaurès, 75019
Hergé — Grand Palais
As the creator of the cartoon Tintin, Hergé (aka Belgian author Georges Remi) is widely considered the godfather of Francophone bande dessinée. Witness the breadth of his influence at the Grand Palais’ career-spanning retrospective. 3 Avenue du Général Eisenhower, 75008
La Collection Agnès B
The French fashion designer exhibits 70 artworks from her private collection at the Musée de l’Histoire de l’Immigration, as selected by Sam Stourdzé. 293 Avenue Daumesnil, 75012
Fondation Louis Vuitton
If you’re up for a short trip out of the city, the Fondation Louis Vuitton is another striking Frank Gehry creation, dedicated to the best of contemporary art. They’ve just opened Icons of Modern Art: The Shchukin Collection, a tribute to the leading Russian collector of 20th century French art. 8 avenue du Mahatma Gandhi, Bois de Boulogne, 75116
Record stores (les disquaires)
Paris is spoiled when it comes to record shops. You could spend the duration of your trip to Paris solely visiting the city’s music-vending establishments. For the most part, our picks below highlight stores that predominantly sell new records, tackling the endeavor with a unique approach. If you're after secondhand shops, there's a comprehensive list on Discogs.
Walrus
Sleek new store Walrus pairs record shopping with a fully licensed bar, coffee shop, and co-working spaces for 30 people, as well as a small space for live shows—where, earlier this year, Ritchie Hawtin demonstrated prototypes of a new mixer. 34 rue de Dunkerque, 75010
Music Fear Satan
What began as a mail-order store servicing the gloomiest, sludgiest sounds transformed into a proper shop at the end of 2010, while also acting as a label. They also sell T-shirts, DVDs, and magazines. 4 rue Richard Lenoir, 75011
Heartbeat
Specializing in soul, funk, jazz, and beyond from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, Heartbeat Vinyl is a bijou, no-frills place with well-stocked bins and knowledgeable staff. 26 rue Godefroy Cavaignac, 75011
Patate Records
Since 1992, Patate has been Paris’ premier destination for dub and reggae. 57 rue de Charonne, 75011
Le Silence de la Rue
Small but densely packed, Le Silence de la Rue spans all genres across both vinyl and CD. Frequent visitors advise going in with a good idea of what you’re after. 39 rue Faidherbe, 75011
Balades sonores
The Montmartre record store started as a collective and label, before expanding into a brick and mortar shop. They also host a concert series, a mini festival, and in-stores. 1/3 avenue Trudaine, 75009
Lucky Records
Dealing exclusively in pop from around the globe, Lucky Records dedicates three-quarters of its shelf space is exclusively to records and rarities by Madonna. 66 Rue de la Verrerie, 75004
Souffle Continu
A few minutes’ walk from the Père Lachaise Cemetery is Souffle Continu, dealing in metal, post-rock, prickly electronica, improvised jazz, noise, and more. Their picks of new releases should tell you what to expect: Silver Apples, Powell, and Véronique Vincent & Aksak Maboul are among their highlights. 20-22 Rue Gerbier, 75011
Ground Zero
Although Ground Zero predominantly specializes in catch-all indie, they're also dedicated to electronic music, with a focus on releases by small French labels. They pride themselves on being specialist, but anti-elitist, and were one of the earliest beneficiaries of Club Action des Labels Indépendants Français, an organization founded in 2010 to protect France's network of independent music and video shops. They recently moved to become part of Nationale 7, an indie boutique specializing in records and furniture. 114 rue de Faubourg-Poissonnière, 75010
Bars (les bars)
Bars and restaurants in France are legally obliged to include service and any cover charges in the prices displayed, but tipping is still de rigueur. In a bar, round up to the next Euro, and in restaurants, add up to 10 percent on top of your bill. A single draft beer is “une pression.”
Le Trabendo
Just across the park from La Grande Halle de la Villette, the festival site, sits Le Trabendo, the intimate venue where we're hosting the after-parties for the festival: Ryan Hemsworth, Clams Casino, Jessy Lanza, and River Tiber play October 27, while Bambounou, Jacques, Lamusa, and Dollkraut appear October 28. 211 Avenue Jean Jaurès, 75019
Castor Club
Voted Paris’ best cocktail bar by Time Out Magazine, Castor Club offers a speakeasy vibe and a decent R&B playlist in its downstairs space. 14 Rue Hautefeuille, 75006
Point Ephémère
Although only a short walk from the busy Gare du Nord station, Point Ephémère is a glassy idyll on the banks of the canal, hosting awesome bands and a modern take on French cuisine. 200 Quai de Valmy, 75010
Le 9b
“Bar for eating, cave for dancing,” is how the bar in Paris’ Belleville district describes itself. It's open until 2am, serves food and cheap beer, and showcases Paris' rich, eclectic music scene on its stereo. 68 Boulevard de la Villette, 75019
Le Merle Moqueur
A few streets from Parc Montsouris, Left Bank bar Le Merle Moqueur is renowned for its boundless (and dead cheap) selection of rum punches, natty tropical decoration, 80s pop, and branché (hip) crowd. There are only three tables, so be prepared to bash derrières. 11 Rue de la Butte aux Cailles, 75013
Les Pères Populaires
It might seem silly to keep highlighting cheap bars, but when you've accidentally ended up paying 8€ for a beer in some skeevy tourist trap, you'll be glad to know where they are. “The Fathers of the People” is located in one of Paris' working neighborhoods, serving food all day and drinks into the night. They offer plenty of "grignotage"-- tapas-y snacks. 46 Rue de Buzenval, 75020
UDO
Venturing into UDO feels like wandering into a Kreuzberg dive bar. Currywurst are 4.50€ all night, and their selection of German beers is formidable. (And cheap.) 4 Rue Neuve Popincourt, 75011
Leisure (le loisir)
Paris is the kind of city where you want to make your own adventure, squirrelling out shops, parks, and other nooks, and then claiming them as your own discovery. Set yourself one destination, and the walk there will reveal at least half a dozen more spots worth visiting.
Parc des Buttes Chaumont
Roughly a 30-minute stroll from the festival site is le Parc des Buttes Chaumont, an enormous, beautiful park housing a grotto, waterfalls, a Corinthian-style monument, a few restaurants, and plenty of opportunities for picnics and people-watching. 19e Arrondissement, 75019
Liberté Ménilmontant
A half-hour walk from la Grande Halle de la Villette, Liberté Ménilmontant is a working bakery with huge shared tables for weekend brunch. For a fairly eye-watering 27€ you can get the full shebang, but a tray of bread, croissant, coffee, and orange juice comes much cheaper. 150 Rue de Ménilmontant, 75020
Promenade Plantée
Built in 1993, the Promenade Plantée is Paris’ answer to New York’s High Line, an old elevated railway track converted into a lush, green walk. (It also appears in Richard Linklater’s Before Sunset.) Start at Bastille, although you can hop on and off along the 4.7km route.
Super Héroes
Comics and graphic novels are so popular in France that you'll find a pretty decent selection in the local supermarket. But just up from the Pompidou Centre, you'll find the compact but excellent Super Héroes, which has a strong specialist selection of bande dessinée. Super Héroes, 175 rue Saint Martin, 75003
Place des Vosges
Right in the heart of the boutiquey Marais district, Places des Vosges is Paris’ oldest planned square, and one of the best spots in the city to eat ice cream (from Amorino, 20 meters away) in the winter sun. Place des Vosges, 75004
Bat for Lashes photo by Pooneh Ghana for Pitchfork
Bands’ recommendations (Le conseil des groupes)
Natasha Khan, Bat for Lashes
“I love Père Lachaise Cemetery (16 Rue du Repos, 75020) because it’s romantic and so many legends are buried there.”
Andrew Savage, Parquet Courts
“What is the best kept secret of the French fashionistas? Guerrisol (various locations), which is a French chain of thrift stores not too dissimilar to Goodwill or Salvation Army, has facilitated many iconic Parquet Courts costumes. Garments are organized by price, which rarely exceeds the €5 mark. Some of the deadliest artillery in my sartorial arsenal have been purchased there.”
Nick Murphy, Chet Faker
“Check out Rose Bakery (46 rue des Martyrs, 75009)—small bakery, feels like a country house. Good for coffee and afternoon eats.”
Bonzai
“I haven't spent any proper time in Paris, but when I do I'll be going to the butterfly gardens, Jardin des Papillons (route de la Pyramide, 75012), then to my favorite Japanese place for some dinner, which is also named Bonzai (380 rue de Vaugirard).”
Aldous RH
“Crazy birds at the Eiffel Tower. Go get yourself a meal at the nearby cafe that serves that gold-plated soup with red wine by the teaspoon. I love to dance—if you're like me, then go to one of the many night clubs.”