Monday night in a posh hotel bar, an Old Fashioned in hand. Tuesday in a dark cocktail lounge, a Dry Martini on your lips. Wednesday night in a modern restaurant, a Sazerac glowing in the candlelight.
The seven-day week has never been so celebrated as during Cocktail Week in Paris. For seven nights, from January 21st to 28th, 50 bars across Paris will have happy hour all night long. Just as the week’s website says, “Sophisticated, simple, modern, classic, impertinent, creative, festive…Paris is a cocktail.” (Santé to that!)
Only the best of the best bars are participating. If you’ve never been to Le Bristol, now’s the time for lounging in deep leather while nibbling tapas prepared by three-star chef Eric Frechon. If you’ve never slipped through the unmarked door to Le Syndicat, mark your calendar for a night of exotic concoctions, mixed with specialty liquors from all corners of l’Hexagone.
Cocktail Week is also honoring efforts made on both sides of the bar. Each night of the week, there will be an hour-long Bartending and Mixology class, held at a variety of locations. See the list of classes and sign up here.
Cocktail Week has a dual purpose. It aims to both promote Paris’s bar scene, and inform the public about responsible consumption. All participating locations also serve virgin cocktails, and will be sharing information on the effects of alcohol on the body, intoxication tests for better understanding your BAC levels, and maps for public transportation for getting safely home.
To participate in Cocktail Week, all you have to do is download a free pass here. The site is only available in French. English-speakers can visit TimeOut Paris for an overview of the event here. Prices for Cocktail Week vary by location.
Find Le Bristol’s hours on the Cocktail Week site here and its location here. Find Le Syndicat’s hours on the Cocktail Week site here and its location here.
