"Le 10e" is a very happening area, situated along the Canal St Martin. It is full of interesting stores, wonderful little wine bars and offbeat restaurants and also home to "Le Comptoir General".
Hidden behind a stone wall and down a long ashpalt pathway, lies the entrance to an amazing space for rest, refuelling and long discussions over brunch or late into the evening.
It is hard to describe the space. It feels like a cross between a destitute mansion in Cuba and an outdoor cafe in Central Africa, filled with crazy vintage posters, live trees, curiosity cabinets and hints of witchcraft. You can rummage through a book swap, delve for some antique lace, listen to an LP of Papa Kourand, chow down on a delicious lentil dahl, or hang out at the bar talking politics whilst sipping mojitos.
The actual philosophy of the space is to bring together like-minded eco-conscious individuals who care for the planet and the well-being of their fellow homo sapiens. There is a definite African theme running through the place as the owners try and make people aware of the "francification" of Africa and the social, economic and political ramifications of this. When I was there, the hallway was a timeline of all the African dictators and their dirty wars.
But don't let this stop you from visiting. If you just want to find a place in Paris that is less uptight then Rue St Honore and has a queue less deterring than the Louvre, I encourage you to visit and look and watch. It's fun!
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