text: where is the cosiest piano-bar in paris, france?   le comptoir 37 rue berger, 1st (01.40.26.26.66). m° les halles.  open noon-2am mon-thur, sun; noon-3am fri, sat.  credit mc, v.   amid the busy commerce of les halles, le comptoir is an oasis of calm overlooking the gardens behind st-eustache church. the decor is moroccan to the last detail: deep-red rugs, coloured-glass chandeliers, low-slung leather stools and banquettes piled high with cushions. a young, worldly crowd lounges around drinking thé à la menthe - served as it should be with pine nuts bobbing on top. friendly service and a lethal selection of cocktails make a perfect spot for leisurely drinking. attractive franco-moroccan menu, too.  le fumoir 6 rue de l’amiral-de-coligny, 1st (01.42.92.00.24). m° louvre rivoli.  open 11am-2am daily. closed 2wks aug.  credit amex, mc, v.   this elegant bar directly opposite the louvre has now become a bit of a parisian institution: inside neo-colonial fans whirr lazily, oil paintings adorn the walls and even the bar staff seem to have been included in the interior decorator’s sketches. a sleek crowd sipping martinis or browsing the papers at the long mahogany bar (originally from a chicago speakeasy) gives way to young professionals in the restaurant and pretty young things in the library. it can feel a little try-hard and well-behaved, but some expertly mixed cocktails and a little friendly flirting with the prs on the prowl are guaranteed to take the edge off the evening.   hemingway bar at the ritz the ritz, 15 pl vend? 1st (01.33.43.16.30.30). m? madeleine or concorde.  open 6.30pm-2am tue-sat. closed 3wks aug.  credit amex, dc, mc, v.   this much lauded bar has become a cocktailers’ cliché, but that’s because it’s simply one of the loveliest places in paris to do drinkies. the dark wood, muffled laughter, black-and-white photos of papa h and the old-school charm of colin the head barman and lovely ludo his second, make the bar a cocoon from the horrors of the outside world. leather seating and five-star service (a glass of berry-scented water appears within 30 seconds of arrival) preface cocktails are as near to alcoholic nirvana as possible - not least the divine raspberry martini. pulling in its fair share of characters, honeymooners and expense-account nerds, it’s also a wonderful place to see what the human race does in its spare time. opened across the corridor is the cambon bar: the original ritz bar, done up as it was back in its ’20s heyday.  kong 1 rue du pont-neuf, 1st (01.40.39.09.00). m° pont neuf.  open noon-2am mon-sat.  credit amex, mc, v.   philippe starck’s latest addition to the paris scene is, predictably, one of the city’s hottest places to do cocktails, ideally located on the top two floors of the kenzo building overlooking the pont neuf. the bright mishmash interior is manga-inspired with lots of neon, hello kitty knick-knacks, comfy grey leather sofas and rocking chairs at the main dining tables, best avoided after a few too many coupes. the best bet is to perch at the long bar, flirt with the too-beautiful-to-bartend staff and order an excellent vodkatini or three. after dark you can make a music suggestion with each order - at weekends they somehow carve out a tiny dancing space for the trendy crowd to strut their stuff on. wear lots of labels and try your best to look cool while half-cut.    le couvent 69 rue broca, 13th (01.43.31.28.28). m° les gobelins.  open 9am-2am mon-fri; 6pm-2am sat.  credit mc, v.   for an address located in the middle of nowhere, this heavily beamed bar creates a delightful hideaway. it first appeared in pierre gripari’s two-part short-story collection contes de la rue broca, but it has come a long way since those dingy days. nowadays it’s the chouchou of students and thirtysomething couples, especially at concert time when live chords get feet tapping. always busy, always smoky.   rhubarb 18 rue laplace, 5th (01.43.25.35.03). m° maubert mutualité.  open 