Often considered Paris’ answer to legendary jazz clubs like Ronnie Scott’s in London and the Village Vanguard in New York City, the effortlessly cool Duc des Lombards is an essential stop. An easy walk from the River Seine and the Pont Neuf, start with a boat cruise, then end at Lombards for a jazzy evening. Its intimate scale is one of its strongest draws, as is its propensity to host jazz legends (Wynton Marsalis, Erik Truffaz, and Ahmad Jamal have all performed here).

You know a city takes its jazz seriously when it has a whole street devoted to it. That would be Paris’ Rue des Lombards. The street is nicknamed the “Rue du Jazz” because it’s home to three jazz clubs: the Duc des Lombards, Le Baiser Salé, and Sunset Sunside. Technically, it might actually be three-and-a-half, given that Sunset Sunside is two clubs in one. On the ground floor, you’ll find Sunside, devoted to acoustic jazz. And in the basement, Sunset is home to all things electronic jazz.

Completing the Rue du Jazz trifecta, Le Baiser Salé (The Salty Kiss) was founded by the Martinique-born Gibson Brothers in the 1980s. From the beginning, this cozy and welcoming jazz bar has aimed to represent the full breadth, diversity, and fusion of the genre, rather than adhering to tradition or remaining stuck in the past. Its concerts stand out for focusing on international musicians working in a range of styles, and for celebrating up-and-coming performers.

Located inconspicuously on the edge of the ever-hip Le Marais, this underground venue, spread across two caverns, invites visitors to get right up close and personal with performers (there’s no space for a dedicated stage, after all). Known for its eclectic mix of traditional jazz, bossa nova, bebop, swing, and more, it’s a great place for a wide musical sampling—and an only-in-Paris kind of night out. After a bike tour of Le Marais, it’s the ideal way to get even farther off the beaten path.

Once used by the Knights Templar and Freemasons, and later as a meeting point for the likes of Marat and Robespierre during the French Revolution, the venue that is now Le Caveau de la Huchette packs serious history. One of the first jazz bars in Paris, this subterranean cave has an inviting atmosphere—no wonder it made a cameo appearance in La La Land. With performances every night and a crowd that likes to dance to the music, it’s the perfectly transportive Paris jazz experience.

When it comes to jazz scene highlights, it’s hard to get better—or more legendary—than New Morning. Opened in 1981 with a concert by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, the venue has since hosted a staggering array of jazz-world greats, from Chet Baker and Dizzy Gillespie to Stan Getz (not to mention beyond-jazz icons like Prince, Bob Dylan, and Gil Scott-Heron). With a nearly 500-person capacity, it’s a larger venue than many other Paris jazz bars but still manages to retain an intimate feel.

Described as the oldest jazz club in Europe that’s still active today, Le Bal Blomet was founded in 1924 in the heart of Montparnasse, ground zero for the era’s Lost Generation. Once frequented by the likes of Josephine Baker, Kiki de Montparnasse, Man Ray, and Joan Miró, Le Bal Blomet is once again one of the top jazz venues in Paris after a recent refurbishment and reopening. Outfitted with table seating across two levels, it attracts devoted listeners and sells out regularly.

While Paris embraced early jazz traditions that were imported from the US, the City of Light also birthed its own jazz style. That would be jazz manouche, a genre which incorporates the traditional folk stylings of Romani music, pioneered by Romani-French guitarist Django Reinhardt. There are a number of jazz bars devoted to the sub-genre, though few rival La Chope des Puces. A small café located within the Saint-Ouen Flea Market, it comes alive during weekends with live performances.

The French capital hosts several major jazz festivals each year. The Jazz à Saint-Germain-des-Prés Festival, hosted in May, brings musicians to an area that has been associated with jazz since the 1950s, while the La Défense Jazz Festival has been a June staple for more than 45 years. And to round it all off, the Paris Jazz Festival, founded in 1994, hosts concerts at the Parc Floral in Paris all season long.