What is the Best Jazz Club in Paris?

Ouch... that's so hard.  Asking me to choose which is the best Jazz Bar in Paris!!  That's like choosing the best pastry in a Paris bakery, or choosing which bakery in Paris makes the best croissant!

No, but seriously... the problem is there is so much choice... and each club has a different flavor -

do you want to be up close to the musicians in an intimate dark cavern like Caveau Des Oubliettes,

or do you want dinner and fancy tablecloths while listening to the big band sounds at Le Petit Journal de Montparnasse,  or how about hearing some young new players in the cool, modern metallic walls of the Dynamo,

or have the pleasure of wandering right into the ancient heart of the city and visiting the elegant old Franc Pinot,

or walk the historic literary streets of Montparnasse and end up at The Swan Bar

The choice is simply overwhelming.  No matter what part of the city you are in, or what type of music excites you, there is something on offer.

But, if I do have a personal favourite, it would have to be the gorgeous jazz venue of Balle Au Bonds - and it's not even a dedicated Paris jazz venue... but when they do schedule jazz then what could be better than this as a location -

it's a 'peniche' (a converted barge) moored just permanently just down from Isle St. Louis, in the heart of Paris, and when they have have jazz there is nothing more heavenly then sitting down in the concert hall, with the river lapping at the edge of the hull, some great music and a cocktail and a lovely companion.. 

for a fairly comprehensive list of other Paris jazz venues and concert halls and bars you can check out our list here, so you can choose your own favourite

oh, and by the way - the best croissant in Paris is undoubtedly found at Stohrer's bakery on rue Montorgueil... why are they so good?  Well, apparently they invented the now famous little pastry over 200 years ago...