Les Nautes

Some pop-ups are such a good idea that they hang around and become permanent – such is the case with Nicolas Lefèbre’s bar, originally hosted in a floating container that made its way up and down the banks of the Seine. It has now come to rest between the Pont-Marie and Sully-Morland metros, taking over a formerly abandoned building and investing it with new life as a bar and event space. The site takes in two areas at the level of the river, which extend the inside bar area into a outdoor concert space when weather permits. In the summer, with Paris Plages, the space will extend to the water’s edge, where you can enjoy slices of takeaway pizza and hang out in deckchairs. Concerts cover genres from Parisian rock groups to American jazz trios.

In comparison, the upstairs restaurant has a serene atmosphere. Plain wooden tables, potted plants and a view over the Ile Saint Louis give the room the air of a luxurious houseboat. The cooking is more than you’d expect from a casual riverside joint, though – simple but excellent quality steak from alpine Simmental cows, for example, or yellow pollock on a bed of sweet peppers – while the wine list throws up some nice surprises, like a fruity, tannin-free Poisson Rouge from Languedoc. We know where we’ll be spending the summer.