The 100 best shops in Paris – Record stores
Where to buy rare and exciting music in Paris
Nicolas Hecht
Five addresses to set you spinning
Fargo Store
Fargo, with its wooden windows and neon lights, wouldn’t look out of place in San Francisco. It’s got a USA feel inside too (despites being a stone’s throw from the Canal Saint-Martin), with collections that cover ‘country’ music and all its forms (rock, pop, folk and new-wave). The shop’s only been around since 2010, but it’s got good connections...
- 42 rue de la Folie-Méricourt, 11e
Souffle Continu
Opened in 2008, Souffle Continu quickly became one of the musical stars of the neighbourhood thanks to its owners, Bernard and Théo, a pair passionate about vinyl and obsessed with discovering the newest releases, while never forgetting the fundamentals. From jazz improv to harsh noise, from indie rock to black metal...
- 22 rue Gerbier, 11e
Born Bad
Now here’s a record shop not to miss – Born Bad – a rock ‘n’ roll central with its own label that has signed excellent French rock groups like ‘Cheveu’, ‘Magnetix’ and ‘Yussuf Jerusalem’. But aside from its own bands, the shop also offers an array of cool sound, from punk and 70s rock ‘n’ roll, to blues and hardcore. There’s even a special rockabilly and 50’s section filled with the gems of days gone by...
- 17 rue Keller, 11e
Plus de bruit
Jean-Paul has been running Plus de Bruit for 17 years, and is an unmistakable figure in the neighbourhood – his store is always full of regulars come to see what’s new in stock since their last visit. A rare pressing of a Standells compilation, indie rock vinyl from the ’90s, French punk bands… you can spend hours rummaging for treasure in the racks, which you’ll usually end up getting for a more than reasonable price...
- 35 rue de la Rochefoucauld, 9e
Bimbo Tower
Welcome to the world of ‘Weird’ – the musical Mecca of anyone looking for obscure and rare sound. Quite how the owners of Bimbo Tower have managed to cram so many bizarre CDs and records (think experimental Japanese electro, Slovakian film music, Chinese dub-step) into just 20m2 remains a mystery...
- 5 passage Saint-Antoine, 11e
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