Image credit: Rodrigo Kugnharski
13 Best Record Stores in Paris
Story by: Neil Bopperson
France’s well-trodden capital is known for many things: art, architecture, cafés, restaurants, and museums. However, the city is also home to a diverse music scene, making Paris a must on any digger’s destination list. Grab an espresso and a baguette because it’s time to scour every corner of the city for the best record shops in Paris.
Heartbeat Vinyl
“…your wishlist will have many titles crossed off.”
This impeccably stocked record emporium is located just off Boulevard Voltaire, slightly east of central Paris. Heartbeat is not a huge shop by any means, but they offer quality over quantity with well-organized bins in a bright and tidy shop. You’ll easily find original pressings in great condition and well-curated racks offering holy grails galore. Your bank balance may take a hit but rest assured, your wishlist will have many titles crossed off. Highly recommended.
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 26 Rue Godefroy Cavaignac 75011 Paris, France |
| @Heartbeatvinylparis |
Techno Import
“…stocks all types of four-to-the-floor and club music.”
Right in the middle of the trendy Bastille district, Techno Import is a large shop and has an even larger amount of records. Based there for over 25 years, it stocks all types of four-to-the-floor and club music. There are countless racks teeming with obscure subgenres of house music. The latest releases are displayed on the walls and crates tucked underneath the racks showcase classics and recent club cuts. If that wasn’t already more than enough, they also stock headphones, cartridges, slipmats, needles, record bags, and other DJ paraphernalia. So, if you find yourself needing more than just records, Techno Import may be the place for you.
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 16 Rue des Taillandiers 75011 Paris, France |
| Techno-import Vinylshop |
Syncrophone
“…knowledge and expertise that can only come with 16+ years in business and even more as a distribution company”
Down the road from Techno Import, you’ll find Syncrophone. With new releases galore, Syncrophone offers knowledge and expertise that can only come with 16+ years in business and even more as a distribution company. So in terms of what’s stocked, the walls feature house from Chicago to Berlin in equal representations. In addition to that, you’ll find local French and Italian labels and the best from the contemporary UK club scene. Huge center racks are well organized while the walls are decorated with recent releases. From disco to the more obscure ends of techno and house, you’ll find quite a few gems at Syncrophone.
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 4 Rue des Taillandiers 75011 Paris, France |
| Marketplace | Syncrophone-Stock in Marketplace |
| @syncrophone |
Bedisc
“Perhaps the quaintest feature of this shop is the lone listening deck upstairs.”
Tucked away on a small side street, Bedisc has been a treasure trove for over 30 years. The cluttered shop has magazines, cassettes, DVDs, CDs, and records that cover many genres. Expect an international selection leaning towards the Latin side on the ground floor. Upstairs, there’s plenty of unsorted jazz, pop, and rock to flip through. Perhaps the quaintest feature of this shop is the lone listening deck upstairs. You can plug right into an old hi-fi stereo, allowing you to listen in full fidelity while looking out onto the cobbled Paris streets below.
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 4 Rue des Grands Champs 75020 Paris, France |
| Bedisc |
Dizonord
“Annual trips to South America and Africa mean their racks are flavored accordingly.”
Dizonord offers great music, coffee, and cultural events that focus on the local community. Its founders maintain crates of both new and old stock that is refreshed daily from their basement. Annual trips to South America and Africa mean their racks are flavored accordingly. New stock includes weekly additions and one wall is dedicated to certain areas or labels on rotation. Part of a great young scene in this area of Paris, Dizonord is housed amongst music distribution companies, label offices, promoters, and PR firms who all set up shop in Paris’ 18th district as part of its regeneration. Not to be missed.
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 9 Rue André Messager 75018 Paris, France |
| Directory | dizonord-fr in Directory |
| Marketplace | dizonord.fr in Marketplace |
| @dizonord.fr |
Superfly Records
“There’s something here for everyone.”
Perhaps one of the most established shops in Paris, Superfly is not to be missed. There’s something here for everyone. Waist-high racks are impeccably labeled, making browsing jazz, soul, disco, and international records very easy. Along one wall, you will find newer releases, but don’t let all the bounty at eye-level fool you. The crates along the floor contain loads of Latin, library, and more obscure records that you really must dig through.
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 3 Rue Notre Dame de Nazareth 75003 Paris, Fra |
| Marketplace | superflyrecordsparis in Marketplace |
| Superfly Records Paris | |
| Recommendations | What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye |
Beers and Records
“…why not take advantage of this quiet spot, grab a cold beer, and meet some locals.”
Located slightly outside of central Paris in the up-and-coming area of Montreuil, this one stocks exactly what it says in its name. Parisians are often reluctant to venture outside of the Peripherique, so why not take advantage of this quiet spot, grab a cold beer, and meet some locals. Secondhand records range from Latin and boogie LPs to reggae, dub, and jazz fusion singles. This is an evening meeting spot for many local musicians, so browse the racks and chat with whoever’s around.
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 17 Rue de l’Église 93100 Montreuil, France |
| Marketplace | BEERS-and-RECORDS in Marketplace |
| BEERS & Records |
Bétino’s Record Shop
“Music is crammed into all parts of this shop.”
This store has been in business for 22 years and pretty much everything except heavy metal is available here. Music is crammed into all parts of this shop. The walls are lined with new releases and the crates along the floor offer some cheaper finds. Rock and jazz titles are plentiful towards the back of the shop and near the front, there are new titles and old stock to go through.
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 32 Rue Saint-Sébastien 75011 Paris, France |
| Directory | betinosrecordshop in Directory |
| Marketplace | BetinosRecordShop in Marketplace |
| BETINO’S RECORD SHOP |
Crocodisc, Crocodisc 2, & Crocojazz
“…why not take advantage of this quiet spot, grab a cold beer, and meet some locals.”
Just a stone’s throw south of Notre Dame, Crocodisc’s three famous stores are located in Paris’ Latin quarter. Between the three of them, they’ve traded in all types of records since 1978 and cater to every genre. The original Crocodisc houses soul, funk, hip hop, rock, and reggae. Crocodisc 2 down the road has all the French records you could dream of, rock, metal, punk, new wave, and soundtracks. As the name suggests, Crocojazz caters to the jazz end of the musical spectrum and offers tons of blues, country, and gospel records as well. One could easily spend a whole day between these three stores!
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Crocodisc Address | 40 Rue des Écoles 75005 Paris, France |
| Crocodisc 2 Address | 42 Rue des Écoles 75005 Paris, France |
| Crocojazz Address | 64 Rue de la Montagne-Sainte-Geneviève 75005 Paris, France |
Listen!
“…all types of soul, disco, and funk, as well as the more obscure realms of pop, prog, and psychedelic music.”
Another small shop with a great selection of original pressings. Head here for all types of soul, disco, and funk, as well as the more obscure realms of pop, prog, and psychedelic music. You’ll experience everything from bargain bin finds to elusive holy grails!
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 43 Rue de la Folie Méricourt 75011 Paris, France |
| Directory | listen_record_store in Directory |
| Marketplace | listen_record_store in Marketplace |
| @listen_record_store |
Monster Melodies
“A large shop established in 1985, they launched their own label pressing up long-lost French gems…”
Located in the heart of Paris, head here to dig through piles of rock, pop, old rhythm and blues, soundtracks, ska, reggae, psych, garage, punk, new wave, soul, and metal. A large shop established in 1985, they launched their own label pressing up long-lost French gems recorded between the late ‘60s and 1978. Records as far as the eye can see here — even on the ceiling!
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 9 Rue des Déchargeurs 75001 Paris, France |
| Directory | monstermelodies in Directory |
| Marketplace | monstermelodies in Marketplace |
| Monster Melodies |
Soul Ableta
“…find inexpensive soul, pop, and funk records as well as sought-after soundtracks, African LPs, and collectible French records.”
Records often spill out onto the streets at this joint. You’ll find inexpensive soul, pop, and funk records as well as sought-after soundtracks, African LPs, and collectible French records. During the evening, they often host intimate live showcases of local talent. They also sell and restore old stereo equipment such as turntables and amplifiers.
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 47 Rue Marcadet 75018 Paris, France |
| Marketplace | soulabletarecords in Marketplace |
| Soul Ableta |
Le Silence de la Rue
“…you could almost pick up your favorite artist’s entire back catalog in one go.”
Le Silence de la Rue is yet another store located in East Paris. This large shop is packed full of records. As this spot carries so much stock, you could almost pick up your favorite artist’s entire back catalog in one go. You’ll find LPs upon LPs across many genres such as rock, pop, punk, jazz, soul, and funk.
| Store Details | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| Address | 39 Rue Faidherbe 75011 Paris, France |
| Marketplace | LSDLR in Marketplace |
| Le Silence de la Rue |
