If Apple made co-working spaces, they might look a little like
this clinically white lab-style workshop just off the Canal
Saint-Martin. A day pass will set you back €20, but that includes
unlimited coffee, complimentary snacks, access to a sound-proofed
phone booth and a private locker for stashing away any potential
sources of procrastination. Just rock up: there’s no need to book
in advance. Come evening, let off steam at Le Comptoir General just across the canal.

If you want inspiration, look no further than this converted chapel. The focus here is on community building and neighbourhood care – whether that’s providing workspaces for budding professionals or taking in refugees (one of the adjoining chapels is an emergency accommodation centre). The space itself is beautiful – think 19th-century chapel meets antique Parisian bookshop (along with some hammocks in the alcoves, should you need a power nap). You’ll have to prove that your work is having a social impact to nab one of its 30 co-working spaces.

There are a few Hubsy spaces about – one in Arts et Métiers, another in République and finally, Saint-Lazare – each offering a gently thrumming professional environment. It’s pay-as-you-go, so you settle the score as you leave. Don’t hold back on its complimentary snack buffet nor the coffee, which has such a coterie of fans that Hubsy even sells its beans in take-home pouches.

Freelancers who prefer a more corporate environment should consider pulling up a chair at Greenspace. Yes, it’s scattered with potted plants and other zany flourishes that make it feel comfortable and homely, but it’s the type of place where people hunker down rather than natter openly. You can’t simply drop-in. Instead, you have to sign up to a monthly plan, which will grant you 24/7 access, as much caffeine as you can stomach and various printer/ scanner facilities. It’s just a few boulevards away from Place de la Bastille.

What exactly is an Anticafé? It’s a space which combines the services of a café, the amenities and conducive atmosphere of a workplace and the cosiness of a home, so it says anyway. The going day rate at one of its three spaces is €24, or €5 per hour – fairly reasonable considering that includes a buffet of sweet and savoury snacks (salads included) and an endless supply of barista-made coffee.

The USP of Two has to be its drool-worthy kitchen. This is a
co-working space which knows that exceptional work isn’t simply
fuelled by
coffee, but by healthy food too. While the menu here changes
regularly, it generally revolves around colourful bowls of seasonal
veg. Businesses can hire one of its meeting rooms for secluded
brainstorming zones, but if you’re a solo worker, we suggest
nesting at a private table in the main café.

You don’t need to book a table at this space in the
19th arrondissement. If you drop in any time between 9am and
7pm, you’ll likely be able to find a spot. It has a homely feel,
with an open-plan kitchen-lounge for industrious freelancers who’d
rather not nip out for lunch. It attracts a forward-thinking techie
crowd – coders and UX designers, we’re looking at you – but it’s
staggered with retro-industrial furnishings that feel very now.