It may be a while since Edith Piaf filled this venue with her shiver-inducing voice, but the La Java club experience provides a throwback to this period in French music history, coupled with a contemporary mix of international sounds. A nightclub and concert venue, La Java's full events program includes up-and-coming international artists and stand-up comedians.
Located on Belleville's hectic rue du Faubourg du Temple, La Java is as unpretentious as it is diverse. Glamorous it ain't, though, so lose the Parisian pout and dress for dancing to unfamiliar but surprisingly catchy sounds from around the globe.
La Java Basics
Pros:
- Uninhibited, fun crowd
- Original music mix
- Cheap cover and friendly staff
- Plastic glasses
- Odd cocktails
- Somber decor
- Address: 105 rue du Faubourg du Temple
- Tel.: +33 (0)1 42022052
- Visit the website
- Metro: Belleville or Goncourt
- Hours: 9 p.m.–6 a.m.
- Cover charge: 5 euros for the club; between 5 and 25 euros for events.
- Drinks: full bar
- Dress code: Anything goes
- Crowd: Bohemian/quirky/punk
- Music: Eclectic; International
First Impressions
The decor at La Java is far from plush (the bunker-like quality filled me with a rush of nostalgia for my student days) and the crowd was sparse when we arrived at midnight. A full drinks menu is available, including cocktails served in plastic glasses. Unfortunately, in this instance, the plastic was an indication of the quality. I followed up a mediocre mojito with a caipirihnia, which tasted suspiciously like detergent. Fortunately, bottled beers are also available, and I would highly recommend sticking to these if you want to retain some feeling in your stomach.
The Dancefloor
La Java is one of those rare establishments where a DJ can mix ska, punk, and classic ballads, without ever emptying the dance floor. The crowd at La Java seem content to dance to whatever the DJ dishes up, and the characteristic self-conscious shuffle of "trendier" nightclubs is absent here.
The club nights at La Java are themed-- there were North-African and Greek nights the previous weeks-- and we stumbled on an all-French evening, much to the approval of my English and Australian companions, flown in for the weekend and keen for a semi-authentic experience. All tracks from start to finish were en francais, as if the Académie francaise (a group of scholars who literally guard over the French language) had offered an incentive, and the DJ mixed ska, reggae, and rock with ease and success. It was a surprise to learn that ska music is alive and well in Paris, and received the most enthusiastic reaction on the dance floor. One or two Piaf tracks were even thrown in when the dancing got a little intense.
The Crowd
The dancers arrive early at La Java, but those in search of a late-night drink won’t surface till 2 a.m., from the likes of Belleville’s trendy Café Chéri/e or L'Ile enchantée. Punks, goths and rockers mingle effortlessly and make an interesting mix for onlookers. Our companions for the night included Norwegian philosophers, paving the way for true existentialist debate Parisian-style. As ever in Paris, females should be on their guard, and be warned that the unisex bathroom offers no escape from unwanted admirers, but La Java is more about harmless flirtation than annoying persistence.
