One of Paris nightlife’s most famous venues is getting a second life. After sitting quiet for decades, the legendary Le Palace is officially on track to reopen in 2027, bringing a little bit of disco history back to the French capital.
The club, which once lived at the heart of Montmartre, is being revived by French producer Mickael Chétrit. Chétrit purchased the building on Rue du Faubourg last year with the aim of restoring the venue rather than completely reinventing it. His plan is simple: bring the space back to life while keeping the spirit that made it so famous in the first place.
Le Palace originally opened its doors in 1978 under the guidance of nightlife impresario Fabrice Emaer. Inspired by the glamour and energy of New York’s iconic Studio 54, the Paris venue quickly became one of the most talked-about clubs in Europe. For a few short years, it was the place to be seen — attracting celebrities, musicians, artists and party-goers from all over the world.
The guest list during its golden era reads like a who’s who of late-20th-century pop culture. Artists such as Prince, Grace Jones, and Mick Jagger were among the famous faces drawn to the club’s mix of music, fashion and pure nightlife spectacle.
Unfortunately, the party didn’t last forever. In 1982, Le Palace closed its doors after Emaer was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The venue’s future became uncertain soon after. For a brief time it was taken over by squatters before eventually reopening in a different form as a theatre and concert hall. That chapter ran for many years before the building was shut down again in 2023.
Now, Chétrit is hoping to reconnect the venue with its original identity. Although he’s too young to have experienced the club during its heyday, he says the stories surrounding Le Palace; along with old photos and documentaries — made it clear just how important the venue once was. Back then, he says, everyone in Paris knew the name.
To help bring the revival to life, Chétrit is working with renowned French architect Jacques Garcia, whose job will be to restore the building while respecting its historic character. The aim isn’t to build a brand-new club from scratch, but to carefully revive what made Le Palace special.
The reopening was originally pencilled in for late 2026, but construction timelines now mean the venue is expected to return in 2027 instead. According to Chétrit, interest from artists wanting to perform there is already strong — which suggests the venue’s reputation is still very much alive.
If everything goes to plan, Le Palace won’t just be reopening a building — it’ll be bringing back a little piece of Paris nightlife history. And after more than four decades away from the dancefloor, that’s something plenty of people will be curious to see.
