Alternative Co-Working in Paris

For those of us without 9-5 jobs, co-working— using a shared space to share ideas, knowledge, and equipment—is a great way to get out of the house and meet and collaborate with new people.

Alternative co-working spaces in Paris include 5 Pailles, which does pretty lattés in turquoise ceramanic cups (left) and is known for having a good barista (right). — 5 Pailles

That said, finding a comfortable and reasonably priced co-working space with good Wi-Fi, good coffee, and the occasional tasty lunch is often difficult. Though there are a number of co-working spaces that charge a day or hourly rate for Wi-Fi access, coffee, and snacks (Unicorners Café, Café Nuage, Anticafé Paris), sometimes you just need a good place to spend an unlimited amount of time working on your novel, thesis, spreadsheet, or podcast.

For those of you looking for good non-co-working co-working spots, here are several excellent little coffee shops around the city to check out.

Fringe Coffee

Fringe Coffee is also a great coffee shop for co-working in Paris and it serves delicious fruit tarts (left) and freshly ground coffee sold in resealable bags (right). — Fringe Coffee

This tiny coffee shop doubles as a photo exhibition space some days. Currently on display: wintry Icelandic landscapes in “Hundslappadrífa” by Ingibjörg Torfadóttir. Come for great coffee, music that’s not too loud, and the best chai lattés.

106 Rue de Turenne 75003, Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm, Saturday-Sunday 10am-5:30pm

2. Motors Coffee

Located right by metro Châtelet, this California-style café is a great place to treat as a home base when you’re in between meetings in the city center. And in case you’re hungry, they’ve got excellent bacon, egg, and cheese bagels.

Motors coffee shop is a great place for co-working in Paris as the Californian-inspired décor makes for a refreshing change (left) and it also serves tasty fruit toasts (right). — Motors Coffee

7 Rue des Halles 75001, Wednesday-Saturday 8am-6:30pm, Sunday 10am-6:00pm

3. Peonies Café

Alternative co-working spaces in Paris include Peonies coffee shop for its soothing flowery decor (left) and flower creations (right). — Peonies Café

Part flower shop, part coffee shop, Peonies is a sweet little café offering generous lattés and scones. What’s more, this co-working spot is entirely decorated in millennial pink. Work for a bit, then stop and smell the flowers.

Peonies café in Paris is a great place to work as it's pleasant to be surrounded by bucolic bunches of flowers (left) and to be able to dig into delicious cakes (right). — Peonies Café

81 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis 75010, Tuesday-Saturday 8:30am-7:30pm, Sunday 8:30-4:30pm

4. 5 Pailles

Hidden away at an angle on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 5 Pailles has great coffee and delicious veggie sandwiches. With a few tables hidden in the back, it’s the perfect spot for quiet networking rendez-vous.

5 Pailles coffee shop in Paris is a great place for co-working mainly for the fruit tarts (left) and tasty breakfasts of avocado and eggs and fruit (right). — 5 Pailles

79 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis 75010, Monday-Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday-Sunday 10am-6pm

5. Café Méricourt

Designed with good coffee and good food in mind. This bright little café in the 11^th offers the best lunch for a coffee shop, hands down. Order the avocado toast for an energy boost.

Café Méricourt is also a great place for co-working in Paris thanks to the delicious coffee (left) and signature shakshuka dishes (right). — Café Méricourt

22 Rue de la Folie-Méricourt 75011, Monday-Sunday 9am-6pm

And for those of you looking to splurge on a monthly subscription for a top-notch co-working space, wework has many spots across Paris. Its Lafayette address is particularly impressive, with breathtaking views of the city from its rooftop, along with tons of entrepreneurial mixers.

What’s your favorite spot to co-work in the city? Let us know!

If you're looking for a place to cowork in Paris, Fringe Coffee is a great alternative that also serves homemade pastries (left) and chocolate cake (right). — Fringe Coffee

Related Links

Are you gluten-free? Check out the best GF coffee shops in Paris.
If you’re on the left bank, here are our top coffee spots in Saint Germain.
For more work-friendly coffee shops in Paris, head to The Culture Trip.

Written by Lory Martinez for HiP Paris. Looking to travel? Check out Haven In for a fabulous vacation, or long term, rental in Paris, Italy, France or elsewhere in Europe.

WRITTEN BY

Lory Martinez

Lory Martinez is a Paris-based freelance writer and podcast producer. Her work has been featured on NPR, UN Radio, and Great Big Story. She also hosts the podcast Serial Culture, in which she explores the multicultural identities of Parisians.