You’ve surely heard of this place by name, maybe you’ve even set foot inside for one reason or another, but in any case, I am almost certain you are far from knowing all the activities and resources this multifaceted address has to offer. Not to mention the fact that Le Comptoir Général is hidden away on the edge of the Canal Saint-Martin, at the end of a dim alleyway, with no sign whatsoever… It’s hard to end up there by chance; you are often guided by the footsteps of a friend or an acquaintance to land in this urban amusement park.
I myself had been there for an evening, to grab a drink, to discover a brand—in short, it is a place bursting with events and discoveries. This time, I went during a quieter moment to properly explore the premises and to provide a little guided tour of Le Comptoir Général.
The concept of the place is multiple, then… It is both a museum dedicated to ghetto culture, which sometimes takes on the appearance of a cabinet of curiosities, and also a supporter of business creation through partnerships and a radical concept store (everything you see on-site is for sale!).
The boutiques / services at Le Comptoir Général:
- The Little Shop of Horrors: the little jungle of Le Comptoir, a boutique for buying plants and other plant-based products. You can also participate in gardening workshops every Sunday from 11 am to 1 pm (€10 / person).
- The Mokele Mbembe: a somewhat special travel agency that proposes going to the Congo in search of the Mokele Mbembe, a Pygmy legend surrounding an animal, a sort of African Loch Ness Monster, which is said to be the last dinosaur….
- The Tiki Bar: to come for a tropical drink during happy hour.
- The Lost and Found Center: to buy at a low price all the items lost (or abandoned) in Paris that ended up one way or another in this place, or perhaps to have the chance to find one of your own lost items…
- The Municipal Library: a carefully selected collection of books sold for the benefit of the NGO Bibliothèques Sans Frontières.
- Ici Bon Coiffeur: the old-fashioned barbershop at Le Comptoir Général.
- The Marché Noir: the thrift store at Le Comptoir that sells clothing from Togo and is located upstairs in the main room and lounges.
- The CinéBrousse: the corner for cinephiles with free screenings on Sunday nights from 7 pm to 11:30 pm.
- The Endemic Garden: a very nice little open-air terrace / garden in the center of Le Comptoir. The ideal place to go for some sunbathing, isolated from the hustle and bustle of the city, once the nice weather arrives. The Ruche qui dit oui has even installed a small corner for products, open Saturday mornings starting at 11 am, at the back of this courtyard.
- The Lounges: to sit back and relax all day and work on your computer or simply to have casual meetings with your clients or friends.
- The Snack Local: restaurant and grocery store, this space attached to the rest of Le Comptoir Général and accessible from the courtyard is totally dedicated to cuisine from the four corners of the world and its menu changes every week. Dining is available on-site every day from 12 pm to 3 pm and from 7 pm to midnight.
Price: starter + main or main + dessert for €16
- The Petit Noir: to drink a very good coffee with freshly ground coffee beans and settle comfortably in the plush sofas of the lounges.
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Another little tip, if you are in the area, don’t hesitate, before or after your visit to Le Comptoir Général, to go for a stroll along the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin; it’s always a lovely walk to take.
Le Comptoir Général 80 quai de Jemmapes 75010 Paris Open 7 days a week, from 11 am to 2 am
Photo credits: Mademoiselle Bon Plan Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization mandatory before any use
