Established in 1980 in a 300-year-old town house, Le Central is a staple of gay men's life in the Marais. Outfitted with an indestructible decor of battered paneling and windows that wrap around on two sides, it attracts local residents who make the place their local hangout, and goodly numbers of attractive male tourists and the Parisians who appreciate them. Don't be surprised if the friendships you forge here are with other Yanks, Aussies, or Brits. A small gay hotel is upstairs.