If you’ve never done a champagne crawl in Paris, I highly recommend you add it to your Paris itinerary. As the name suggests, a champagne crawl is essentially the same thing as a pub or bar crawl, except with bubbly instead of beer. To help you along, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite Paris bars that combine amazing drinks, incredible aesthetics, and a little bit of cultural history. Since you’ll likely be exploring different parts of the city, I’ve included a map below to help you plan which bars to visit based on their proximity.
Buddha Bar
View the Buddha Bar website here
I don’t know about you, but I was not anticipating to find a Buddha-themed bar when I visited Paris…much less fan-girl over one. As you probably guessed, the aesthetics roped me in, and the champagne and sushi kept me there. Buddha Bar isn’t exactly the cheapest places to go in Paris, but the atmosphere, drinks, and food are definitely worth it. You can sit down in the main area of the restaurant (pictured above), but I would tell you to go upstairs and get a seat at the bar or one of the lounge tables and take it all in from the top.
- Pro Tip: I recall the entrance to this bar being very inconspicuous…almost giving speakeasy vibes. Don’t freak out if you think you’re in the wrong location or can’t find it at first.
Bar Hemingway at The Ritz Paris
View the Bar Hemingway website here
Bar Hemingway is a very, very small bar located inside The Ritz Paris. It was so small, in fact, that my friend Kelly and I weren’t able to snag a seat during our first visit to the City of Light. If you go, expect there to be a line, especially during high tourist season. Even though I can’t personally vouch for the drinks or the interior, I can tell you that Hemingway frequented this bar often – hence the name. If it’s good enough for one of the greatest literary minds of all time, it’s good enough for me.
Le Bar at Plaza Athénée
Ohhh yes honey, this is THE Plaza Athénée that Taylor Swift references in her song, Elizabeth Taylor. Ready for this plot twist? I actually had a glass of champagne in this bar when I was visiting Paris at Christmastime and had no idea what iconic hotel I was in. I hate myself. To be fair, this was before Life of a Showgirl dropped, but still. All I knew was that the exterior of the hotel was stunning, and I wanted to go in. Part of the draw of this hotel (and the bar) is that it represents the fantasy version of Paris — fashion, elegance, celebrity culture, and old-world luxury all in one place. No surprise, this place won’t be cheap either – but we do things for the story, remember? Pop a bottle and revel in your celebrity moment.
- Pro Tip: Plaza Athénée is located on Avenue Montaigne, one of the most prestigious shopping streets in the world. Take a walk and admire the designer stores and all the aesthetics. Like I mentioned, this area is especially beautiful at Christmas.
Le Vrai
Full transparency: Le Vrai is more of a restaurant than a bar, but just trust me. It’s located on the corner of a street in Montmartre, Paris’s most romantic neighborhood. One look at the explosion of flowers on the facade and I knew I was having at least one drink (spoiler: it ended up being 3…oops). I’ll never forget sitting at this place and just feeling like I was truly in Paris. It aesthetically embodies everything that the City of Light is known for (and, obviously, the champagne is good).
I’ve been lucky enough to come to Le Vrai twice now, and was able to try their food the second time. To be honest, I can’t remember what I had (I’m blaming the champagne…) but I do remember it being delicious. If you try any food, LMK what you think in the comments. While you’re here, take a walk through the inside – it’s giving old world Parisian cafe and we’re all loving it.
Le Dokhan’s Bar
View the Le Dokhan’s Bar website here
If you’re doing a champagne crawl, you can’t skip Le Dokhan’s. This bar is located inside Dokhan’s Hotel and is Paris’s original champagne bar. While you may find other champagne bars throughout the city, Le Dokhan’s considers themselves Paris’s ONLY champagne bar because they are the only place that exclusively serves this iconic French beverage.
- Pro Tip: Le Dokhan’s is located near Plaza del Trocadero, one of the best places to see the Eiffel Tower from a distance. I had this photo taken during my first time in Paris, and it’s one of my favorite photos from any of my trips.
Le Rooftop at The Peninsula Hotel
View the Le Rooftop website here
Le Rooftop is located close to Le Dokhan’s and, IMO, is the perfect place to end your night. As the name suggests, it’s a rooftop bar inside The Peninsula Hotel with gorgeous Eiffel Tower views. My friend Kelly and I came here at night before the iPhone launched its nighttime camera feature, so my photos of the actual rooftop bar are awful. But take my word for it – it’s a great place to sip a glass of champagne and watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle. I did manage to get some good photos of the inside of the hotel, and it’s as quintessentially Paris as you’d expect:
Harry’s New York Bar
View the Harry’s New York Bar website here
Full disclosure: I debated on including this bar because it’s more of a cocktail bar than a champagne bar. Not to mention, it doesn’t exactly have the feminine, Paris aesthetic that you’d expect to find in the city (or, on this blog!). In contrast, Harry’s looks more like a sports bar and a place your man and his friends would hang out:
In the end, I included this one for the cocktail lovers and for the ones who actually DID have to drag their man along on a champagne crawl – but most importantly, for the history. Harry’s is actually Paris’s first ever cocktail bar, so I would encourage you to try more than just champagne here. No, seriously…they offer over 400 cocktails. If you’re overwhelmed, the staff was very helpful with drink recommendations, so don’t be afraid to ask!
- Fun Fact: The Bloody Mary and the Sidecar were both invented at Harry’s New York Bar!
Au Cadet de Gascogne
I included Au Cadet de Gascogne because you can actually get a FREE glass of champagne here when you purchase the Paris Pass from Go City. I recommend the Paris Pass to everyone going to Paris for the first time, because it includes a lot of popular attractions at a discounted rate. Au Cadet de Gascogne is located in Montmartre (same as Le Vrai that I mentioned earlier). My friend Kelly and I took the Montmartre Walking Tour through the Paris Pass and then stopped at Au Cadet de Gascogne to cash in on our free glass of champagne afterwards. If you are interested in learning more about the Paris Pass, check out Free Champagne(!) & Other Reasons You Need the Paris Pass.
Map of Paris Bars
- Buddha Bar
- Bar Hemingway at The Ritz Paris
- Le Bar at Plaza Athénée
- Le Vrai
- Le Dokhan’s Bar
- Le Rooftop at The Peninsula Hotel
- Harry’s New York Bar
- Au Cadet de Gascogne
3 Day Itinerary
Plan Your Trip to Paris!
From taking a Seine River Cruise to exploring Montmartre to seeing the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, I’ve mapped out an entire 3 day itinerary for you to experience all the must-do things in the City of Light.
