Le Comptoir Général: Hidden Nightlife in the Heart of Paris

"Dedicated to exotic ventures, out-of-the-box creativity, hidden secrets, lost causes, and ghetto exploration." This is how the team at Le Comptoir Général would describe the foundation according to Violeta Sturiale in an interview for Grey Magazine. During the day, the old museum is the home of several social projects. During the evening, it transforms into a reclusive gathering spot for the locals and tourists at the heart of Paris, France.

One of the projects on display inside Le Comptoir Général, closed off during the evenings

I was first introduced to Le Comptoir Général in the summer of 2016. I had just arrived in Paris, where my friend Victor made the annual trip to retrieve, but not after spending a few nights messing with my sleep pattern even more. As usual, mes amis welcomed me back to their country with a rounds of drinks at the Canal St. Martin. We spent the day catching up and exploring the city as we customarily do at the start of summer.

Later that evening, my friends had gotten enough alcohol in me to convince me to join them for a night out. Against my better judgement, and my body begging for a break from the 27-hours of sleep deprivation (I can't sleep on planes!), I found my way to a large, black wall and an uninviting man/giant hybrid (I assume) standing in front of a cutout in the wooden wall that I doubted he would be able to fit through.

My friends have a habit of leaving me in the dark when it comes to where they're taking me. They give me little details other than what type of shoes to wear and the assurance of a good time. When we arrived at Le Comptoir Général, all I knew was that my friends wanted to take me somewhere to drink. I didn't know if this meant a nightclub, a dive bar, or possibly just sitting on the canal with some 1664 and making friends with locals. The black wall I was greeted with did not help to much this. My friends greeted the man/giant as he stepped aside (almost like a human door) and allowed them to pass through while urging them to remain silencieux. When it was my turn to engage the man/giant I was greeted with "Avez-vous 16 ans?" "Are you 16-years-old?" 16 is the age in which French citizens are allowed to enter bars (your first experience seeing a 16-year-old in a bar is quite the culture shock). At this point I was 22-years-old, but I'm barely 5'0" ft tall and have been described as having a cherub face, so I can't blame the guy for ID'ing me (which is not a common practice in France and made it all the more embarrassing).

Once I was permitted to pass (after having to show my American ID and assure the bouncer that, yes, I was indeed 22 years old) I was issued the same warning silencieux. While walking through the tall stone building lining both sides of the winding path, I attempted to get some more information out of my friends. My first attempt was drown out by a hissing "Shhhhhh." I was surprised to see that the shushing had not come from my friends as they were just as confused as I was when they attempted to speak and were also greeted with a round of shushing. This time coming from more than one source. As we silently made our way up the path, I attempted to exchange confused looks with any of my non-Parisian friends (undoubtedly as curious as me) who were willing.

Inside the solid front door appeared a long hallways draped in velvet and vintage wallpaper. Walking down the hallway slowly begins to reveal the sounds of music and laughter. At the end of the hallways in the main floor filled with retro couches and mismatched furniture. Tropical trees line the walls and extend towards the ceiling to give the whole a place a private feel. At the far end of the room is bar that appears to be forged from an old ship and said to be "inspired by the Tiki culture."

The bar area in Le Comptoir Général is inspired by Tiki culture and made to look like an old ship

There were few drinks to choose from, but the ones that were offered were all unique and generally tasty. Even the beers on the menu, while sparse, were ales I hadn't heard of before. We ordered a round of drinks and passed them around making faces of distaste or going back for a second sip. Finally, we made our way to the dance floor and enjoyed the retro-mixed-with-house music blaring over the speakers.

Overall, the ambiance of Le Comptoir Général is laid back and parlor-like, rather than a nightclub or bar. The unique artwork and social projects littered throughout the museum, along with the privacy and secludedness of the building, makes Le Comptoir Général a great stop while making your way around Paris.