The habits of night-owls change very quickly and that is why they are so lucky. The capital of creativity is still going strong with its fashion, its artistic pioneers, its music, its fringe press, its nightclubs… in a word, its fun. Even though open bars are now banned, along with smoking and noise, Paris is and will always be the city of temptations. Because Paris at night is a way of living, of acting, of being part of the scene to the soundtrack of the city. Because when it comes down to it, hasn’t the best entertainment always been the most futile?

We’re nightclubbing, we’re nightclubbing, we’re what’s happening…

The Paris Night Life website, the new bible for any would-be night-clubber, provides a complete diary and a very useful guide so that your can boogie from the Right Bank to the Left Bank in confidence. Because “there are more coded messages in Parisian nightlife than in the Da Vinci Code. To avoid a night of hell knocking door-to-door, read up on a few tips and prepare your night out carefully.” So the site explains in its guide to being the perfect Parisian: “In Paris, nightlife is generally divided between three main areas: the east (cool-bohemian), the west (middle class-daddy’s boys) and the Left Bank (student-intellectual). This is obviously a bit of a caricature and exceptions exist in each area, but it will nevertheless give you an insight into the atmosphere of the district.” The question now is whether the most successful parties in Paris aren’t the ones we talk about most without having gone to?

• French