If you want to know where the locals in Paris really hang out — and aren’t afraid to venture beyond the usual tourist haunts and trendy hotspots – check out some of the city’s most popular “third spaces”, known as tiers-lieux.
What are Tiers-Lieux?
The definitions vary as much as the spaces themselves, but in general these “third spaces” are somewhere between home (first space) and work (second space). While many are created for specific activities or open only to members, in this article I’ll be talking about the informal, hybrid spaces, usually community-run, where people of all backgrounds can hang out with friends, work on their laptops, eat brunch, catch a live concert, shop at a thrift market, learn how to garden, take a yoga class, or participate in public meetings.
The ones in Paris (and France in general) are usually located in public buildings that are not currently in use, such as former schools, empty government offices, empty lots, or abandoned warehouse spaces. They often house local non-profits, community groups, humble start-ups, and affordable co-working spaces, in addition to spaces open to the general public. Don’t expect anything flashy or cutting-edge. These spaces are either donated or provided at a subsidized rate by the local government, usually for a set period that may or may not be renewed, so there has to be a “public good” at the center of any tiers-lieux project. The focus is on being inclusive, accessible and affordable for the entire community, not to be commercially profitable. The vibe is often bohemian, eco-friendly, laid back. The buzzwords you’ll hear are alternative, upcycling, circular economy, working together, locavore, zero-waste, and “creative solutions to save the planet” (or maybe just the neighborhood).
Tiers-lieux all have a slightly different crowd depending on their location and type of events open to the public, but they attract a lot of young Parisians and families with kids in strollers, as well as activists, idealists, and artists. Yes, you’ll probably spot a few Bobo’s, but also Parisians wearing shorts and flip-flops (or whatever makes them comfortable). These are not places to see and be seen, or beautiful spots to record your next viral reel. But if you feel like Paris is becoming nothing more than an ultra-processed, luxury consumer playground , these tiers-lieux are the antidote.
Tiers-Lieux to Visit In and Around Paris
Académie du Climat
2 Place Baudoyer, 4th
Open Monday-Tuesday 9am-9pm, Wednesday-Saturday 9am-midnight.
Housed in the former Town Hall of the 4th arrondissement, the Climate Academy is essentially a place for young Parisians to learn, exchange and take action for the climate, but open to everyone. If you’re just curious, it’s ideally located right in the center of Paris, so it’s easy to just pop in to rest your feet in the garden courtyard (they call it the “orchard”), browse the library or the latest photo exposition, or visit the ground floor canteen (“la buvette”) for a vegetarian meal or just a coffee (open Wednesday-Saturday 11am through midnight).
If you really want to test your French, join in their packed weekly program of upcycling workshops, conferences and debates, film screenings, fun events like stand-up comedy nights or karaoke, or moderated “Café Climat” discussions where you can participate in the conversational topic of the day or just listen. All events are free, although some require you to register on the website if space is limited.
Fun Fact: I got married here in the Salle des Fêtes in April 1999.
Les Arches Citoyennes
3 Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, 4th
Only open to the public for special events and artisan markets.
This is one of the newest tiers-lieux, housed in a former hospital administrative building across from City Hall (Hôtel de Ville), now a work space for 450 community groups, artists, and artisans managed by Plateau Urbain. They’re open several times each month for cultural events and crafts markets. The second Marché de Créateur·rices is this Saturday, September 30th from 11am-7pm, with 50 stands in the courtyard selling clothing, ceramics, jewelry, drawings, candles, photos, home décor, and other crafts. Free entry. Check their Instagram for regular updates about upcoming events.
Césure
13 rue Santeuil, 5th
Open Tuesday 11am-3pm, Wednesday-Friday 11am-midnight, Saturday noon-midnight.
Césure is a tiers-lieu opened last year in the former Université Paris-III Sorbonne-Nouvelle campus, an enormous 1960s-era complex across from the Jardin des Plantes. Now it’s a community center providing affordable working space for 200 resident artists, artisans, non-profits, start-ups, and social services for 2000 students from five different universities. The cultural, educational, and artistic program includes indie film screenings, literary gatherings, plays, activist conferences, artisan markets, arts exhibitions, roller discos, festivals, dance events, cabarets, concerts, DJ sets, public radio broadcasts, learning workshops, and student projects.
Like the Académie du Climat, the packed program tends to appeal to budding social and environmental activists and students, but is open to everyone. Outside of events that might interest you, there’s not much to see besides the canteen (serving lunch Tuesday-Friday noon-2pm and brunch Saturdays noon-3pm), which shares a large space with an Emmaüs Campüs charity shop (open Wednesday-Saturday noon-7pm; donations welcome), and an outdoor terrace. There’s also a bar open during evening events. Césure only has the right to occupy the campus until the end of 2024, when it will finally undergo long-awaited renovations.
Fun Fact: I taught English Presentation Skills for third-year Communications students at the Sorbonne-Nouvelle in 2015, and have been enjoying the sweet mint tea from the Mosquée de Paris tearoom down the street since I was a student myself back in 1995.
Ground Control Gare de Lyon
81 rue du Charolais, 12th
Open Wednesday-Thursday noon-midnight; Friday-Saturday noon-1am; and Sunday noon-10:30pm
This has been one of my go-to places since 2018 for eating out in a large group, since there are a dozen different food trucks (in summer) and restaurants in the food court to choose from, plenty of space to sit (although it fills up by 8pm on weekends), and it’s fun to browse the little shops (books, vintage upcycling, vinyl records, CBD products). There’s a pinball game room, a board game room, and an impressive lineup of free events: art expositions, DJ dance nights, yoga sessions, live concerts, drag shows, art workshops, and the usual “conferences and debates” on the pressing issue du jour. Special shout out to La Résidence, the restaurant at Ground Control where the menu is created and prepared by refugee chefs from around the world.
It’s a great place to grab a bite after visiting the nearby Viaduc des Arts and Promeande Plantée. It’s kid-friendly in the daytime so you’ll see a lot of young families, but in the evenings it attracts a fairly cool crowd of East Paris locals (more streetwear than stiletto). Unlike most nightlife places in Paris, it’s not expensive or snobby. There are four bars open evenings during the week and all day on the weekends, with local beers and natural wines. They even have beer and sangria by the pitcher, still a rarity in Paris (cups are reusable, you’ll get a deposit back when you return them).
Fun fact: You can also access Ground Control directly from the Gare de Lyon Train Station; I’ve written the precise directions – with photos – in my 2019 article about visiting Ground Control.
Bercy Beaucoup – Plant B – La Javelle
5 Boulevard Poniatowski, 12th
Plant B is open Wednesday-Friday 1-7pm, and Saturday 11am-7pm. La Javelle is closed for the winter.
This tiers-lieu on the southern edge of the 12th arrondissement features a spacious, open-air guingette called La Javelle, with live music, and an outdoor bar and pizzeria. Because it’s all outdoors, it’s only open April-September. However gardeners can visit the second space at Bercy Beaucoup, Plant B, which is a community garden along the old Petite Ceinture rails, beekeeping hives, a composting center, a second-hand garden boutique, and the “Rotonde”, a community workshop space hosting events year-round.
Getting there: the closest public transport is right across the street, the tram 3b’s Baron Leroy stop; you could also walk from behind Bercy Village (metro 14 ours St-Emillion) by taking Quai de Bercy and up a metal staircase to the slightly dodgy-looking (but fine in the daytime) passage leading between the warehouses to the Boulevard Poniatowski (you can see it on Google maps).
Les Amarres
24 quai d’Austerlitz, 13th
Open to the general public Thursday 6pm-11:30pm, Friday 6pm-1am, and Saturday 11am-1am, and the 1st Sunday of the month for brunch noon-3pm.
Les Amarres is a tiers-lieu right on the Seine (24 quai d’Austerlitz, 13th) that houses a refugee welcome center on weekdays, and a café-bar-concert space open to the general public Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Managed by Yes We Camp, there’s a “buvette” refreshment bar-canteen serving Franco-Syrian bar food and light snacks, and a hearty Syrian brunch every Saturday and the first Sunday of the month from noon-3pm (online reservations recommended here). The bar serves homemade, local, organic, and artisan drinks (beer, wine, juices, and soft drinks from €3-8). The main area serves as an event space, dining room and stage, and there’s a great little open-air terrace out back with tables overlooking the Seine.
Weekly events (free and open to everyone) include crafts markets, live music and DJ concerts, art expositions, arts workshops, film screenings, open mic nights, and many round table events and conferences addressing issues of social justice, the environment, and inclusion.
Insider Tip: It’s just down the quay from the lime-green « truc vert » known as Les Docks – Cité de la Mode et du Design, which has sadly emptied out except for the fashion school, Wanderlust nightclub, and a Café Oz on the top floor. Head the other direction and pass under the elevated metro to Quai de la Photo, instead, for drinks and entertainment along the Seine.
Fondation GoodPlanet – Domaine de Longchamp
1 Carrefour de Longchamp, Bois de Boulogne, 16th
Open Wednesday-Friday noon-6pm, Saturday-Sunday 11am-7pm
Located in the Domaine de Longchamp, a 19th-century mansion on 3.5 hectares in the bucolic Bois de Boulogne, the GoodPlanet Foundation is the creation of the world-famous French photojournalist Yann Arthus-Bertrand, dedicated to raising public awareness on environmental issues and environmental protection. It’s a non-profit foundation that relies on donations and sponsors, so not technically a tiers-lieu, but it acts very much in the same spirit as the others on this list (albeit with a more elegant environment in the affluent western edge of Paris). You can tell from the opening hours that it’s a family-friendly space, and many of the workshops and events are for parents and/or their kids, but of course all are welcome.
The mansion hosts all kinds of photography and art expositions, regular film screenings, and themed weekends focusing on environmental or social justice topics: “From organic to nuclear, from press freedom to refugees, from honey harvesting to ethical fashion, from the most playful to the most critical, all the subjects of our time have their place.” All of the events are free, although the classes and workshops often require you to register for a spot. On the grounds you’ll find a juice and snack truck, a bar on weekends, sustainable food workshops, tours of the vegetable garden and beehives, a book shed, and an outdoor concert space.
Getting there: Accessibility is a bit complicated by public transit, as the closest metro/RER is Porte Maillot station, then either a taxi or bus 244 to Longchamp-GoodPlanet (don’t try walking it). Consider combining it with your visit to the Fondation Louis Vuitton or the Bagatelle Gardens, which are also in the Bois de Boulogne.
Le REcyclerie
83 boulevard Ornano, 18th
Open to the public Friday 8am-2am, Saturday 11am-2am, Sunday 11am-10pm.
Canteen open Friday 8am-10pm, weekends 11am-10pm.
This well-established tiers-lieu is in the former Ornano Station of the Petite Ceinture outside Porte de Clignancourt metro station (you might see it on your way to the St-Ouen flea market). There’s a locavore café-canteen (at least 50% vegetarian, no reservations), an urban vegetable farm with bees and chickens, an Atelier de René where you can get help repairing small items (or borrow the tools to do it yourself if you’re a member), and a cultural program that promotes sustainability, creativity, and “being a better consumer.” Weekdays are reserved for local non-profits and other professionals, while the public is welcomed Friday-Sunday.
There are often upcycled, artisan, vintage, or crafts markets on the weekend, especially in December to promote “responsible and ethical Christmas shopping” and open-air cinema in summer. I love the views over the old Petite Ceinture train tracks from the huge windows of the REcyclerie (and the terrace in nicer weather), but so does everyone else: get here early if you want a table. If the space inspires you, consider signing up for one of the free guided tours – in French – on Fridays and Saturdays at 4pm, register here.
Insider Tip: While the people you’ll cross inside are mostly Parisian hipsters and friendly activists, keep a close eye on your phone and other belongings when going to or leaving the REcyclerie, as pickpockets and fraudsters are sadly quite common around the Porte de Clignancourt metro stop (this isn’t the place to be wearing fancy jewelry).
La Cité Fertile
14 avenue Edouard Vaillant, Pantin
Open daily from noon, until 6pm Monday-Wednesday, until 1am Thursday-Saturday, until 10pm Sunday. Hours may change, always check the current week’s agenda on their website.
This tiers-lieu in a disaffected warehouse complex just outside Paris may be a bit scruffier than you’re used to seeing in the city, with a bit of a squatters’ vibe. But it has a welcoming atmosphere that attracts a lot of young Parisians and families, similar to Ground Control. When it opened in 2018 it was supposed to just last for three years, but they’re still going strong, hosting festivals, vintage markets, concerts, zero waste workshops, yoga sessions, karaoke nights, and (at least in years past), a magical Christmas market with a huge play area for kids.
There are several bars, both indoors and outside, a canteen with thrift shop furniture, pétanque courts, various outdoor seating areas, a community garden, beer brewery, and co-working space. Upcoming events include all of the World Cup Rugby matches shown on a big screen with food trucks, and a Planète Résilience festival the first week of October with an ethical fashion show and upcycling workshops.
Getting there: Although your Google maps may tell you to take metro line 7 to Quatre Chemins or line 5 to Hoche, the walk from those stations isn’t really suitable for tourists (even French ones). Take RER E to Pantin instead, which is much closer (and you’ll see the Cité Fertile from above as you cross the bridge), or a taxi/Uber after dark.
Some Other Tiers-Lieux to Check Out
Digital Village, 21 rue Albert, 13th. Co-working, bar-café with festive happy hours, exposition space, and student housing near Place d’Italie.
Poinçon, 124 ave Générale Leclerc, 14th. A community-focused bar-restaurant-live music and culture space in a former Petite Ceinture train station, run by the same group as La Bellevilloise.
Hasard Ludique, 128 Avenue de Saint-Ouen, 18th. Close to the REcyclerie, another former Petite Ceinture station now housing a lively café-restaurant, live music space, holiday market, and workshops. Outdoor seating along the old railway tracks.
Jardin 21, 12/A Rue Ella Fitzgerald, 19th. A former 19th century orchard transformed in 2018 into a green, cultural and festive tiers-lieu on the banks of the Ourcq Canal in the Parc de la Villette.
Kilometre25, 8 boulevard MacDonald, 19th. An open-air concert and clubbing space (not free) under the périphérique open weekends until 7am, May through October. Also has an art gallery, food truck, and ten nighttime shops where you can get tattoos, piercings, second-hand clothes, vintage records, a haircut, or nail art between DJ sets.
Where is my comment?
If you sent one before this, it didn’t go through (I don’t see it in spam either, sorry).
Hi Heather,
I have adored your newsletter for more than twenty years. Even as a resident of 30 plus years in Paris, I always learn about a wonderful new place to discover in ‘Secrets of Paris’.
THAT said, I find your recent newsletter to be a bit too, well, forgive me: bobo.
I think it is unfortunate to dismiss our beloved city as ‘the ultra-processed, luxury consumer playground that much of Paris has become.’
It is true that we Parisians can feel oppressed by the luxe instagramers overunning our sidewalks. ‘Emily in Paris’ hasn’t helped. However, must we really send our vegan visitors exclusively to the 13th?
Yes, the line at the Eiffel Tower is awful, as are the surrounding restaurants. The Louvre is crowded.
YET, what can be more wonderful than the cobblestoned streets of the Marais, the quai de la Seine in the morning, the elegance of the boutiques in the 6th?
PLEASE, dear Heather, don’t throw out the bébé with the bathwater.
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
Thanks for reading, and your thoughtful comment.
It’s no secret that most websites and social media and basically any representation of Paris in the media — including many articles in this website — will sing the praises of the Marais, St-Germain-des-Prés, and the cobblestoned quays along the Seine. You’ve been here longer than I have, but I still remember when both the Marais and St-Germain-des-Prés were affordable places where students could hang out (because we did, and we were broke). Today, not so much. And I constantly receive grumpy emails from readers who point this out.
I know not every single post in Secrets of Paris is actually a “secret”, but I think it’s important for visitors to know the city is actually more diverse and ‘populaire’ than it’s often portrayed. My little article about vegan canteens in a tier-lieux in the 13th isn’t going to make a huge dent in the crowds flocking to the Samaritaine luxury department store or lining up to “experience” an immersive advertisement for one of Bernard Arnault’s perfumes, but at least it’s out there as an option.
That said, I’ve reworded the sentence to better fit the spirit without — as you say — throwing the bébé out with the bath water:
“But if you feel like Paris is becoming nothing more than an ultra-processed, luxury consumer playground, these tiers-lieux are the antidote.”
PS: There are also some lovely cobblestoned streets, hidden passages, and charming boutiques in the 13th. Come visit us sometime. 😉