Photo by Tom Spray
Pitchfork Music Festival Paris begins today at la Grande Halle de la Villette, featuring performances by the likes of Beach House, Four Tet, Laurent Garnier, Deerhunter, Thom Yorke doing Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes, John Talabot b2b with Roman Flügel, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Battles, Hudson Mohawke (live), Ariel Pink, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Ratatat, Destroyer, Rhye, Spiritualized, Health, Run The Jewels, Father John Misty and many, many more. Weekend passes are sold out, but individual day tickets are still available. Don't forget to check out the set times, afterparties, and download the festival app.
To help you maximize your time in Paris, we’ve updated our 2012 guide to the city’s record shops, bars, and stores with new exhibitions along with tips from some of this year’s bands, all well-seasoned travelers.
Exhibitions (les expositions)
On the first Sunday of every month, it's free to visit a number of Paris' museums (check out a list and map here). The first Sunday of November 2015 happens to be the day after Pitchfork Paris ends, so take advantage if you've got any strength left. Expect long lines, so arrive early. (Those under 25 and in possession of an EU passport get free entry to museums and many galleries all year round.)
Check out our pick of current exhibitions at Paris museums and galleries (which aren't all necessarily covered by the free Sunday deal):
Who’s Afraid of Women Photographers? 1839 - 1945
The first French exhibition of its kind, Who’s Afraid… presents work by leading female photographers of the 19th and 20th centuries, exploring gender, self-portrait, photojournalism, landscapes, war photography and filmmaking. Musée d’Orsay, 1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 75007
Martin Scorsese, le maître cinéphile
The archives of a great living auteur are opened to the public in this rare exhibition, which also draws from the private collections of frequent Scorsese collaborators Robert De Niro and Paul Schrader. La Cinémathèque Française, 51 rue de Bercy, 75012
Twenty one years ago, curators Christian Boltanski and Hans Ulrich Obrist conceived a novel exhibition for London’s Serpentine gallery, where the public were encouraged to touch, use, take, and swap objects from the show. This year, they revisit the idea in Paris, with contributions from the original artists—including Gilbert and George, and Carsten Höller—along with new additions such as Jeremy Deller and Yoko Ono. Monnaie de Paris, 11 quai de Conti, 75006
The Louvre commissioned contemporary artists Ai Wei Wei, Chéri Samba, Mark Manders, Tomás Saraceno, Isabelle Cornaro, Wael Shawky, and Camille Henrot to consider "the ordering of the world, the great empires, the expansion of the world, and the polycentric world we live in today" for this groundbreaking and highly anticipated original exhibition. Musée du Louvre, 75001
To mark the European debut of Warhol's Shadows, le Musée d'Art Moderne is hosting a major exhibition of the pop artist's life works, featuring over 200 original pieces. Musée d'Art Moderne de le Ville de Paris, 11 avenue du Président Wilson, 75116
Since 2012, Vincent Arbelet has been documenting the people of Pitchfork Music Festival Paris, from performers to punters. To mark the festival's fifth anniversary, we're exhibiting Arbelet's photos of the festival's female performers—the likes of Lykke Li, Robyn, Perfect Pussy's Meredith Graves, Kathleen Edwards, Purity Ring, Jessie Ware and more. Le Pavillon des Canaus, 39 quai de Loire, 75019
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 endeavour with a unique approach. If you're after second hand shops, there's a comprehensive list on Discogs.
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 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: Joanna Newsom, Ben Frost and Mogwai are among their highlights. 20-22 Rue Gerbier, 75011
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
My Electro Kitchen
The proprietor of My Electro Kitchen also owns the lesbian bar next door, Le Troisième Lieu, and the two come together once a week for an instore cocktail hour. Founder Eric Labbé describes the store as offering "food for fussy ears," selling electronic records from the likes of Kompakt, BPitch Control, Ed Banger, and more. 60 Rue Quincampoix, 75004
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, as it were. In a bar, round up to the next Euro, and in restaurants, add up to 10% on top of your bill. A single draft beer is "une pression."
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 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 pre- and after-parties for the festival... and where the Rolling Stones performed their first comeback gig on Thursday. 211 Avenue Jean Jaurès, 75019
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. Below are a few ideas to get you started: a graphic novel haven, a cave of vintage treats, a glorious park, a chocolate shop, and a home away from home for American travelers.
Comics and graphic novels are so popular in France that you'll find a pretty decent selection in the local supermarket. Just up from the Pompidou Centre, you'll find the compact but excellent Super Héroes, which has a fine selection of bande dessinée—and if you're keen to dig further into French BD culture, head south of the river to Album at 84 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75005. Super Héroes, 175 rue Saint Martin, 75003
Parc des Buttes Chaumont
Roughly a 30-minute stroll from la Grande Halle de la Villette 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
Bands' recommendations (Le conseil des groupes)
Paris pro tip: get really really stoned and stand under the Eiffel Tower. Now look up. Granted it's a touristy thing to do but hey, touristy for a fucking reason.
No trip to Paris is complete without paying your respects to the most incredible graveyard on earth, Père Lachaise, home to such great French thinkers as Balzac and Voltaire. But no one gets more visitors than the The Lizard King, Jim Morrison. Everybody loves to rock. U.S.A... but Paris is great.
Sainte-Chapelle is my absolute favourite place to visit when I'm in Paris. The first time I visited the chapel it took my breath away. I sat there for an hours in absolute awe and silence. There's a magic and beauty in Sainte-Chapelle thats seems not from this world.
I think the coolest moment I've lived in paris was sitting next to the Seine, where rue des Bernardins ends, in front of Notre Dame cathedral. During the night, the cathedral turns green and yellow, with its reflection in the water. In France it's legal to drink in the streets and they have the best cheap wine on earth, so sitting there, smoking in the night, is more than magical.
Check out Place de la Concorde, the largest square in Paris. A great place to go for a walk, make sure you take a camera!