After-work addresses

All forgotten, Saturday night fever ? No, but “after work”, a new kind of partying, is now appreciated by a particular set of people.

Who are they and where do they go ? Known to the French as “L’after”, this new trend first caught on in Anglo-Saxon countries, according to some in the United States. These get-togethers after a long day’s work allow people to widen their circle of friends and professional acquaintances in a more congenial and “family” atmosphere than in a night-club. Who participates ? 25 to 40 year-olds who don’t want to wait till 11 p.m. to party, and have had their fill of weekend crowds. These smart, 21st-century movers-and-grovers usually choose Thursday nights to meet up around drinks and snacks, preferably in trendy places that suit their style. At the far end of the ramparts, almost at the water’s edge, Le Bastion has given Antibes the address it needed, successfuly combining all kinds of enjoyment around good drinks (in moderation) and good food. Here, after-work gatherings are held in the bar or lounge, in front of the hearth. A decor all in red and anthracite grey, with a wide variety of “tapas” of diverse inspiration (Italian, French, Japanese…) accompanied by cocktails, wine by the glass, whisky or champagne. In Nice, Le Before offers a velvety ambiance and has become a must address for this type of get-together. Open daily until 12.30 a.m., it proposes copious plates (free of charge) to accompany drinks. Also in the capital of the Côte d’Azur, Le Maori is a safe bet for fans of music with its resident DJ officiating from 7 p.m. to 2.30 a.m. Then there’s Monaco, with Le Karé(ment) and the very recent Black Legend. The first awaits working-girls and working-boys every Thursday from 7 p.m. (and until 4.30 a.m.). The buffet stays open until 10 p.m. and girls pay no admission. This address stands out from traditional after-work rendez-vous by adding dancing to its weekly cause, salsa in particular. Instructors give 30-minute lessons three or four times a night. Later on, DJs take over, playing hits from the ’eighties. The latest flagship in the Floirat group, Le Black Legend enjoys a strategic location in the Principality, right on the port. Its decidedly “Big Apple” decor, half-vintage, half-modern, gives an unprecedented concept on the Côte d’Azur, with a lounge-bar, restaurant, a stage for live performances and a night-club. Here, after-work has come full circle and its fans spend the evening comfortably installed in club armchairs. On the menu, a resident band, “The Soul Tigers”, who give prority to Motown (the iconic movement in black music dating back to the early ’seventies), then DJ Sam for the rest of the evening ; on your plates, French recipes and, of course, American, with the inevitable spare ribs, guests of honour at all barbecue parties in the USA.

Carnet

At Le Bastion, several different areas in one and the same place. Like the nearby chimney nook, the bar welcomes guests for evenings characterized by cocktails (to be consumed with moderation), “tapas” (varied and tasty) and long discussions.

At Le Karé(ment), salsa is part and parcel of the after-work scene. It makes for a congenial and up-beat atmosphere.

The Black Legend, the latest “in” address in Monaco. Here, after-work gatherings are a must, as much for the setting as the music and food. Cognoscenti of these evenings are not mistaken, they have already made it their favourite haunt.

Black Legend, Quai Albert 1er, Monaco (00 377 93 30 09 09). Karé(ment), Grimaldi Forum, 10 av. Princesse Grace, Monaco (00 377 99 20 20). Le Bastion, 1 av. Général Maizière, Antibes (04 93 34 59 86). Le Before, 18 rue du Congrès, Nice (04 93 87 85 59). Le Maori, 15 rue Masséna, Nice (04 93 87 17 50).

By Cécile Olivero.