Unless you know the way to Le Comptoir Général, hidden away off the banks of the canal in Paris’ 10th arrondissement, there’s a good chance you could spend your entire life oblivious to its existence. But then that would be a shame, as this rustic tipple joint and self-proclaimed ‘temple of ghetto culture’ is an adventure in itself.

A ghetto museum by day, home to curiously named sections such as La Petite Boutique des Horreurs (The Little Shop of Horrors), Le Cabinet de Sorcellerie (The Witchcraft Cabinet) and Le Centre des Objets Perdu (The Centre for Lost Property), the locale begins to swell with stylish revellers sipping on jungle punch and African beers as the sun begins to fade, when it takes on its other identity as a bar.

The concept behind Le Comptoir Général is a tribute to the creativity that springs up in poor or marginalised places all over the world – particularly Africa. The bar aims to protect this culture through various endeavours such as exhibitions, movie screenings, events and workshops, with all proceeds reinvested back into sustainable artistic pursuits. 

Check out Le Comptoir Général on The Street Photographer.