Submitted by Julia Rose on the 2024 Winter BUAD program in Paris, France…
One of the first nights upon my arrival to Paris, some of my new friends and I decided to get a late dinner at a nearby restaurant. To our surprise, the waiter began to lead us towards the back of the restaurant, and through their kitchen. Our confusion didn’t stop there, once he told us to enjoy our night and proceeded to walk away. Despite our doubt, we attempted to open the door we were presented with, and were warmly welcomed into a completely new universe. The restaurant was a speakeasy, behind an actual restaurant that served tables every day.
Before coming to Paris, I had only briefly heard of speakeasy’s and their popularity in this largely dense city. I found it almost ironic that one of the most famous cities in the world had small, casual bars hidden in little nooks of the city that not many people commonly knew about. A speakeasy is an illusional building that sells alcoholic beverages, usually themed in a retro style to replicate historical speakeasies from the past. Fortunately, there are many speakeasies found right near the hotel we are staying at, and we have already tried many of them.
Unlike many classic bars in the US, the atmosphere of speakeasies are much more calm and casual. Since it is a much smaller area, only a few groups are in the bar at a time. The decorations are always flourished and aesthetically pleasing, making it such a comfortable and relaxing place to go out with a group of your friends if you are not into the classic, loud, busy, bar experience back at home.
Even though I was already aware of these hidden treasures around the country, accidentally experiencing one of these was such a thrilling, irreplicable feeling. Similar to the feeling of getting in on a hidden secret, feeling accepted by this community so quickly helped me adapt to the unfamiliar culture so well. I found the idea of these bars extremely interesting and exciting, making me already feel like a local in my new home. (Submitted on January 12, 2024)