From the 22nd to the 28th of May, the 2024 World Series of Poker circuit comes to Paris, France. It will deliver 10 rings, and on the last day, players can win a WSOP Main Event ticket for Las Vegas. If players manage their schedule well enough, there might be more time for live poker.. but where?
To answer that, we'll show off some of the best casino options in Paris.
If you're expecting them to be slightly special, you won't be disappointed. Aside from the decoration and air of sophistication, we noticed a few main differences to North American casinos:
- The rooms often close at 5-8 am.
- Some have strict dress codes.
- Most charge entry fees per day or year.
None of those requirements will be too tricky for poker players to meet (except for the closing times).
The Circus Club
The Circus Casino group has been around in France since 2016 and is partnered with a leading Belgian gaming operator. They have a beautiful poker room in Paris that takes the game seriously and offers more than just prize money at their events. In the last Winamax Poker Tour Final, the winner got a sword of victory, along with €170,000.
The Circus Club's website outlines its dress code. "Bermuda shorts accepted in summer, as well as caps only in tournaments." We aren't sure if that means hoodies are outlawed here.
The club has 22 poker tables, plus other card games, a restaurant (La Baraka Paris), and a bar. Players can sit and enjoy Parisian poker from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
A daily entrance fee costs €12 or €100 once a year, slightly less than the other clubs on this list. North American players might find an entrance fee surprising, but it is more normal here.
The Barrière Club
The Barrière Group is responsible for this luxurious poker room. Here, everything is upscale and refined.
Unsurprisingly, this casino comes with a dress code. Their website lets players know that "Business wear is required to access the Club (no sportswear, tank tops, shorts...)."
They've hosted several events for PokerStars and the EPT in the past, despite opening quite recently in 2019.
Club Montmartre
Club Montmartre opened its doors in August 2019 under Frédérique Ruggieri's leadership and has become one of the most popular poker spots. The establishment offers great cash games every day, and tournaments too, but less frequently.
Anyway, players who are stopping in Paris for the World Series of Poker probably don't have the energy for more MTTs.
Not only did the Club Montmartre win the award for France's Best Casino 2022 (https://worldcasinoawards.com/award/france-best-casino), it also appears to have some of the nicest poker chairs ever designed. The club is also one of the only free-entry casinos on this list.
The Pierre Charron Club
This is a favorite among players and also one of the most beautiful places to play poker in Paris. It has a high standard of service, a range of MTTs, and comfortable surroundings.
It doesn't feel like your typical casino. Moving from room to room, it almost feels like an ultra-luxurious property, not a gaming establishment. The lighting probably has a lot to do with the pleasant atmosphere.
The Pierre Charron Club's website makes this club sound very different from American casinos: "Designed as a living space, the club offers its guests a bar, an inventive gourmet dining menu, a welcoming smoking lounge with humidor, and all the services that will make your visit even more pleasant."
Here's the smoking lounge...
The Pierre Charron Club has partnered with WPT in the past and also hosts World Series of Poker (WSOP) satellites in their cardroom. That being said, entry to the tournament was (€1,125 + €75) for a €11,000 package. GGPoker is probably a much cheaper option to get World Series of Poker tickets.
Paris Elysées Club
The Paris Élysées Club is one of the oldest among its competitors. It opened its luxurious doors in April 2018, in the heart of the Golden Triangle. While poker isn't the main attraction here, it does provide a one-of-a-kind poker experience.
Even though most comparable casinos in Paris offer an annual membership, the Paris Élysées Club just asks for €15 for each visit.
At this club, it appears that you get a bottle of Dom Perignon with every MTT victory. That's not a bad bubble to be on.
Club Berri
Club Berri is not a large club. In fact, only 8 tables run here, and among those, only one has Texas Holdem. The casino even closes on Sunday and Monday, which is basically unheard for a gaming establishment. But still, it makes it onto this list for a reason.
In the heart of the Golden Triangle, Club Berri offers what they call "the most intimate place in the capital," as long as you'll pay the €15 entry fee (or €150 per year).
Apparently, the Holdem game is €10/€20. You wouldn't expect any regs to be sitting here, in this kind of environment.