Les Ruines

Paris

Les Ruines, in english, The Ruins, is the name of a new Goth-Punk nightclub opened in 1990 in Paris, France. constructed within the walls of a normal parisian 1900 building whose floors and interior architecture were demolished, the "church", the "cemetary" and the "crypts" became soon after its achievement the cool site where to be seen in Paris.

The entrance is not automatic: The style of clothing is as important here (or more important here) than the local (national or worldwide) fame. The black is the color most seen there, but one can enter with any medieval, greek -like, roman-like or even egyptian-like clothing. The important is to have some costume that will disguise the appearance you show in your everyday life, but will show your real self, or the real self that you would like to be.

Les Ruines are constructed like a gothic church (similar to Paris' Notre Dame) crumbling under the weight of ages (And so, the name Ruines). Lights are blue in hue, giving to it some nocturnal appearance, even if more "natural" candle-like yellow is not unkown some nights. The dance floor is in the middle of the cross that form the church grounds, while the stage is where the altar should have been. Part of the roof is inexistent, and those huge holes let appear the artificial night sky, complete with stars, moon and clouds. There are "alcoves" where people can find some silence and privacy, should they close the heavy dark blue or dark purple curtains. Also, artificial mist falls from columns seemingly reaching for the sky, to the ground, and converging on the dance floor, where it rises and fall with each dancer's movement. While bars exist in the ground level, stairs leads up to a little café/restaurant, where you can find bloodwyne, an light alcohol with the appearance and texture of the blood, but with more "normal" flavours, like cherry; or down to the "catacombes", where you will find yourself lost in a real labyrinth full with actors and other customers exploring the dark crypts of "Les Ruines". Rumors even tell that real people were buried there, or that some secret passage leads to the real Paris' catacombs, or even to a lenghty tunnel leading to the Père Lachaise's cemetary. From the ground level, Dark, shadowy passages leads to the exterior cemetary, complete with coffins and real earth (and real skeletons?), where the only light you have is the light of the stars and moon, or the light you bring with you.

Some will enter here like an Egyptian Princess, or a 1830 romantic french gentleman, greek godess, medieval warlock... Or even as today's fantasy rock star, vampire, elf, terminator-like cyborg, etc.. The music styles are as variable as are the clientelle, from Enigma to White Zombie. And some french (or even internationnal) stars even come here as a "premières" for their new songs.

But Les Ruines are not the artificial church they seem to be. They are not simply a Nightclub, a Role-player's paradise. "Les Ruines" are a Kindred Elysium...

Kindred walk free there, among blood dolls and other mortal people wearing so weird clothing and make-up sometimes the Kindred must disguise themselves to not appear too normal! Hidden in the shadows, powerful beings, hundred or even, perhaps thousand years-old, looks their prey with predatory smiles and hungry eyes.