Le Shanghai

Le Shanghai is Toulouse's oldest and most famous gay venue, operating since 1977 in a basement on Rue de la Pomme in the historic centre. It is the kind of institution that defines a city's queer culture: generations of Toulousain gay men have had their first night out here. The venue hosts themed nights, drag performances and DJ sets across the week, with the biggest crowds on Fridays and Saturdays. The basement setting gives it an intimate, charged atmosphere that newer, shinier clubs rarely replicate. During Toulouse Pride, Le Shanghai is the de facto after-party venue.