Rex’s muscle in the city is unavoidable. Ugly beast it may be, but Rex still reaches club-land levels close to legendary institutions like Fabric in London or Berghain in Berlin.

It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for techno, drum ‘n bass and electronic music lovers, Rex is the unequivocal portal into the genre. Its inception in 1992 woke up a once-sleepy Parisian nightlife scene with parties thrown by notorious nightlife maven Laurent Garnier, who introduced a slew of international acts to the city (you can find Garnier still DJing at the club). The staff’s friendliness may have something to do with a fact that Rex is firmly rooted in a lot of people’s teenage years, making it feel already passé.