Paris: Cocktail Bars & Speakeasies

Paris's original brewpub opened on rue Saint-Denis in 1993 and still brews on site. Six house beers pour at the bar, from a blonde to the Dark de Triomphe stout. Rugby shirts line the walls and match nights draw crowds. The kitchen sends out fish and chips, burgers and loaded fries.

Reputed to be the only Scottish pub in Paris, this Marais fixture stocks a wide whisky range and pours Scottish ales. Wood panelling, clan pennants and rugby prints set the tone. Match days on the Six Nations calendar bring a loud, friendly crowd. The kitchen serves haggis, scotch eggs and burgers.

Down a narrow lane near Pont-Neuf, this two-level Scottish pub stocks around eighty whiskies. The ground floor stays festive with Friday concerts and screened football and rugby; the vaulted cellar hosts events. Quiz nights, open-mic and a student evening fill the weekly programme. The crowd mixes students, expats and Left Bank visitors.

Part of a small Paris chain of Irish pubs, the Blanche branch sits near Pigalle below Montmartre. Live music, DJ nights and screened matches drive the atmosphere, which builds after 21:00 and peaks at weekends. Irish staff run the bar and pour a range of beers. The kitchen covers standard pub fare.

Facing the Panthéon in the Latin Quarter, this English pub draws students from the nearby Sorbonne. Cask and draught ales pour alongside a solid range of British bottles. Screens show football and rugby, and the terrace looks onto the square. The kitchen serves fish and chips, pies and Sunday roasts.

Run by La Maison du Whisky, this bar near the Grands Boulevards holds one of the city's deepest spirit collections. Hundreds of whiskies span Scotland, Japan and beyond, poured by knowledgeable staff. The mood is calm and focused rather than rowdy. Tastings and flights suit drinkers who want to explore by region.