Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Borneo orangutan
Malaysia • 12 days, 11 nights
Wild Borneo: Secrets of an Ancient Rainforest
from
Pastel de nata
Portugal • 8 days, 7 nights
Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Ravne tunnels.
Ravne Tunnels
Colors and volumes in the patio.
Monterrey’s Contemporary Art Museum (MARCO)
Inside Wonderwerk Caves, underground caves and excavation, Kuruman, Northern Cape
Wonderwerk Cave
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Burros Alfa and Beto, seen here with Luis Soriano in 2008, have been helping the teacher deliver books for more than 20 years.
How One Man and His ‘Biblioburro’ Spreads Literacy in Rural Colombia
1 day ago
Price Tower
What Happened to Price Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Only Skyscraper?
2 days ago
Jeremy Bentham’s Auto-Icon in its new location in 2020
The Jeremy Bentham Auto-Icon: Why This Legendary Philosopher Put His Own Body on Display
3 days ago
The truth is out there—somewhere.
The Truth Is Out There at the Dreamland Resort (or Should We Say ‘Area 51?’)
5 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All France Paris Le Comptoir Général

Le Comptoir Général

This Paris art space celebrates the creativity and ingenuity that springs from abject poverty, especially in Africa.

Paris, France

Added By
Eric Grundhauser
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Le Comptoir Général   Voyages etc... on Flickr
Le Comptoir Général   Voyages etc... on Flickr
Le Comptoir Général   Forum for the Future on Flickr
Le Comptoir Général   Tammy O. on Flickr
  Worldtrvlr / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Hidden down a Parisian alleyway, Le Comptoir Général is an eclectic art space during daylight hours and a restaurant/bar after dark, all the while reveling in the creative output of marginalized peoples, particularly from Africa.

Hosting everything from gallery exhibitions to film screenings to theatrical exhibitions and much more, the eclectic space is almost an art project in and of itself. There is a certain playfulness to the shaggy dog space with sections bearing strange names such as Le Cabinet de Sorcellerie (The Witchcraft Cabinet) or Le Centre des Objets Perdu (The Centre for Lost Property). Each of the displays are meant to evoke a thematically African sense of culture, via artifacts and everyday objects from African countries. In addition to the various stations of art by the impoverished, the space features a tropical smoking area that essentially holds a small jungle, dividing the two main rooms of the space. 

Once the active art is over, the space becomes a bar and restaurant that caters to the young and hip of Paris. Elite partyers may seem like a strange audience for work from creators who could probably not afford a drink in the place, but Le Comptoir Général is routinely packed out for both its arty events and its party nights. 

Related Tags

Bars Art Restaurants Shops

Community Contributors

Added By

EricGrundhauser

Edited By

emiliegautiergander, Worldtrvlr

  • emiliegautiergander
  • Worldtrvlr

Published

October 8, 2014

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://unlike.net/paris/culture/le-comptoir-general
  • http://unlike.net/paris/culture/le-comptoir-general
  • http://theweekendedition.com.au/food-drink/le-comptoir-general-paris/
Le Comptoir Général
80 quai de Jemmapes
Paris, 75010
France
48.872423, 2.365542
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Le Musee des Moulages

Paris, France

miles away

WWII Bunker Under Gare de l'Est

Paris, France

miles away

Association Française des Amis des Chemins de Fer

Paris, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Paris

Paris

France

Places 204
Stories 42

Nearby Places

Le Musee des Moulages

Paris, France

miles away

WWII Bunker Under Gare de l'Est

Paris, France

miles away

Association Française des Amis des Chemins de Fer

Paris, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Paris

Paris

France

Places 204
Stories 42

Related Stories and Lists

8 Cool Shops in Paris

List

By Atlas Obscura

Related Places

  • Munich, Germany

    Alte Utting

    From open waters to open dance floors—this decommissioned ferry has been transformed into a lively nightclub.

  • “Memoir of the Century.”

    London, England

    Topolski's 'Memoir of the Century'

    Tucked inside a South Bank bar is an epic expressionist chronicle of the 20th century.

  • Carton King Creative Park.

    Taichung City, Taiwan

    Carton King Creative Park

    Life-size animals and furniture made entirely from cardboard fill this odd paper-themed restaurant.

  • The Mai-Kai’s roadside sign.

    Fort Lauderdale, Florida

    Mai-Kai Restaurant

    When you can't get to the Pacific, just go to Florida.

  • The Tonga Room’s pool.

    San Francisco, California

    The Tonga Room

    Tiki luxury on Nob Hill.

  • The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.

    Long Grove, Illinois

    The Village Tavern

    The oldest functioning restaurant in the state of Illinois, operating since 1847.

  • Chiang Mai, Thailand

    John Gallery The Tree House

    A local Thai artist started building this gallery in 1980.

  • The beef, Guinness, and oyster pie sports a rich, flaky crust.

    London, England

    The Guinea

    Some of the best renditions of traditional British dishes can be found on the site of a 15th-century inn.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.