South Pigalle

Known locally as ‘So-Pi’, South Pigalle is what Dalston or Peckham are to London: très, très trendy. Located around Saint-Georges, beneath the Moulin Rouge and sex shops of Pigalle, this is the place to come for the latest trends and fads. Whether that’s fusion bistros (Buvette), concept hotels (Le Pigalle) or clandestine cocktail bars (Lulu White’s). Rue des Martyrs is foodie heaven with dozens of boulangeries, chocolateries and chic cafés perfect for brunch and people watching on a weekend morning. Follow that with a stroll round the gorgeous gardens of the Musée de la Vie Romantique, one of the few free to enter museums in Paris and then stop by some of the area’s world-renowned boutiques like the eponymous Pigalle streetwear store. So-Pi is famed for its nightlife, though, with all sorts of options for letting loose after dark. Dirty Dick is the place for rum in a tiki-themed setting, Le Glass brings dingy dive bar vibes while the upmarket Le Carmen serves cocktails in an opulent, distinctly Parisien setting. Attractions here are hip rather than historic - if basketball’s your thing, stop by Pigalle Duperré – a neon-coloured court sandwiched between two towering apartment blocks.