Drinking/Going Out Wine at lunch, an apero, more wine at dinner, digestif, cocktails – the French unapologetically revolve their days around drinking despite their mantra that moderation is key. Hedonistic tendencies run high in a city where one can imbibe their libation of choice at any hour, in the streets or tucked away in a dark bar, without any judgment being passed. A forever decorous culture, most French avoid total inebriation, which in turn improves their staying power and often keeps the night going well into the next morning. Change is not easily accepted by the French, and the nightlife scene is just another aspect where this is apparent, although the last decade has seen a minor shift. The proliferation of bars and clubs throughout the city allows you to discover whatever best fits your mood and lifestyle. Oberkampf and Ménilmontant dominate the edgy, alternative bars and clubs, taking over the formerly trendy Bastille area while the Latin Quarter is primarily student bars and expat pubs, with a mix of travellers, international students, and French people hoping to improve their English, and St Germain has maintained a few upscale establishments to draw the fashion crowd to the Left Bank. Paris has finally brought some life to its greatest asset; the waterways. The Seine, formerly utilised for sleepy boat tours, is now lined with péniches full of trendy young Parisians sipping cocktails and enjoying the lazy days of summer, and the bobo (bohemian bourgeois) chic dominate the bars along the tree-lined Canal St Martin. The Marais is forever gay (but always welcoming of others) and the Champs-Elysées has the market on über-glam, Asian theme, bordello style and super select clubs where the beautiful people play. No matter what your party predilection, Paris has something to meet your needs.