If you’re moving to Paris as a digital nomad, you’re probably drawn to the romantic idea of a life filled with art galleries, cozy cafés, and buttery croissants. That’s what had me hooked, anyway. During my stay in the city as a digital nomad, I learned all these French clichés are, in fact, accurate, but there’s much more to being a Parisian than that.
To help you become an honorary Parisian during your stint in the city, I’ve created a digital nomad’s guide to living like a local in Paris based on my own lived experience. Not only do I share my tips on how to embrace local life, but I also share my inside knowledge on the best cafes and coworking spaces to work from. After reading this, your dreams of living the romanticized Parisian life will come true.
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How To Embrace Local Life As A Digital Nomad In Paris
Slow Espresso Mornings At The Café
If you want to embrace the Parisian lifestyle, start by getting into the habit of slowing down your morning routine and stopping for a calm coffee at a local café instead of taking one to go and rushing to your next destination. Parisians don’t believe in rushing, especially in the mornings, because they refuse to start the day feeling stressed—and it works! Even if you have to get up a bit earlier to make time for a slow morning café stop, every Parisian will tell you it’s worthwhile. And if you want to take it to the next level, order a café crème and a croissant.
Spend Time On The Seine
If there’s something you enjoy doing—whether it’s running, dancing, reading, journaling, or playing board games with friends—why do it at home when you can do it on the Seine? That’s the secret to living like a Parisian. From sunrise runs to salsa sunsets, the Seine is a breathtaking backdrop to many locals’ daily activities. Come summer and winter, find them romanticizing life by upgrading their favorite hobbies with riverside views. It’s the perfect place to escape the busy streets, take a beat, and find some outer and inner peace between deep work sessions and Zoom calls, too.
Make Friends In The 5th Arrondissement
Parisians are indeed quite closed, which unfortunately makes finding local friends feel difficult (although many will jump at the chance to make international friends, too!). Luckily, Paris has a huge international community of students, digital nomads, and young professionals, many of whom are drawn to the 5th Arrondissement—the city’s student hub—which is considered a bit more inclusive. From pub quiz nights to stand-up comedy, there’s always an event to attend that will help you mingle with other non-natives, or even people from your home country.
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Drink Wine Like It’s Your Job
By this, I don’t mean get wine-drunk and make questionable choices; in fact, quite the opposite. Although Parisians take work life seriously, they still embrace the joie de vivre, and for them, a slow, liquid lunch is one of life’s great joys. As a digital nomad in Paris, embrace the slower-paced work culture by scheduling a couple of hours during your workday at least once a week to take a break and sip a smooth Bordeaux with friends (invite fellow coworkers if you want to make some new connections!). Yes, work is important, but nothing is so urgent that it can’t wait an extra hour for you to indulge in life’s simple pleasures.
Friday Nights On Rue Du Faubourg
While tourists gravitate toward Pigalle for nightlife, locals prefer to spend their Friday nights having dinner and drinks with friends in smaller, more in-the-know places like Rue du Faubourg in Saint-Denis. Home to a large immigrant community, this street is lined with humble yet highly rated international restaurants serving a diverse range of dishes—from kebabs to tacos and curry. Between them are some of the most hip-and-don’t-they-know-it bars in Paris, including Chez Jeannette, Le Syndicat, and Mauri7. Together, they make the perfect combination for a casual but effortlessly cool Parisian night out.
Romanticize Your Weekends
The workweek is over, and now it’s time to enjoy Paris to the full by romanticizing your weekends as if you’re on a date with the city. This means indulging in all of the most Parisian things the city has to offer without falling into a tourist mindset. Saturdays are made for a relaxed brunch on the terrace at your local cafe before meandering around one of the city’s less touristy museums and galleries. In the evening, meet your friends for a sophisticated dinner and drinks, ending the night at a jazz bar. Start your Sunday browsing the local flea markets, and when hunger hits, grab a baguette and fresh ingredients from a farmers’ market and enjoy a leisurely picnic in the park. Trust me, it doesn’t get more French than this.
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Hit Up Digital Nomad Events
Making connections in a big city like Paris can seem intimidating when you first arrive, but fear not—there are plenty of networks in place to help you build personal and professional relationships in no time. Get started by joining Facebook groups for digital nomads (take your pick from dozens of active groups) and posting about your stay to see who else might be looking to connect during that time.
Additionally, look out for updates on the digital nomad events regularly hosted around the city. While some are networking-focused, others simply create space for fun, laptop-free hangs with a like-minded gang. Here are a few events you can look out for while digital nomading in Paris:
| Event | When | What It’s About |
| Digital Nomad Meetup Paris | Once Per Month | An informal gathering of nomads and remote workers to chat, share tips, and cowork. |
| Digital Nomads Club | Regular Coworking Meetups | A coworking meetup with camaraderie that tries out different spots around the city each week. |
| Paris Solopreneurs, Digital Nomads & Remote Workers | Ongoing Group Meetups | A regular group meetup designed for solopreneurs, remote workers, and people building small projects. |
The Best Cafes To Work From In Paris
Les Pères Populaires, 20th Arrondissement
Les Pères Populaires is a casual, homey, village-style cafe situated in Avron, a quiet but accessible spot on the edge of central Paris. Its mismatched chairs and sofas give it a quirky Central Perk vibe that has you convinced Rachel Green is about to serve your coffee, and its abundance of natural light will help you stay focused. Despite its casual appearance, Les Pères Populaires serves surprisingly elegant and healthy dishes (although the menu is written on a chalkboard) to keep you fueled throughout the day, including some very delicious and affordable tapas. There’s plenty of seating, but since it’s a food-focused establishment, it’s better to save this one for an afternoon deep-work session rather than a full day.
Café Lomi, 18th Arrondissement
Where better for a remote work session than the home of world-renowned coffee brand Lomi? The smart, industrial-chic space balances formal and casual, giving a modern professional vibe. Although friends come here for a coffee and chat, the café is most often occupied by professionals and students. Between the quiet atmosphere and focused clientele, Café Lomi feels like a coworking space without the fees. Win-win!
Anticafé, 13th Arrondissement
Been looking for a coworking space with the services of a cafe and the comfort of your living room? Anticafé might be your answer. Combining all three concepts, the establishment meets all your needs as a remote worker—excellent connectivity, food and drink on demand, and a variety of environments to match your work mood. The price is six euros per hour and includes drinks and snacks. Its pay-per-hour system allows you to come and go without any commitment, which one might argue is the ideal relationship! With common areas and calm rooms to boot, it’s a great place to meet fellow digital nomads, too.
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Nomade Café, 11th Arrondissement
Designed with clean Scandi style and lots of foliage, Nomade Café is one for the cool, creative digital nomads who thrive in a more relaxed, ambient atmosphere. From single-occupancy round tables to bar-style window seating and lounge spaces, the café works for solo work mode, coworking with friends, and casual meetings. Oh, and the coffee? Excellent. It serves everything one might expect from a modern coffee spot—from matcha and chai to cold brew and double shots—best paired with a Nomade Café croissant.
Try These Coworking Spaces In Paris
Nuage Café
At 29 euros for one day to 500 euros for 20 days, Nuage Café is one of the priciest coworking spaces in Paris, but the premium is justified by a variety of optimized work zones, unlimited drinks and snacks, and best of all, an active professional community. As a member, you’ll get access to the Meetup Group, which organizes frequent networking and social events ranging from quiz nights to wellness sessions. If you have the means, a membership at Nuage Café would make a big difference to your digital nomad lifestyle in Paris.
Mitwit Office Marais
At 240 euros per month, Mitwit Office Marais is one of Paris’s more affordable coworking membership options and, arguably, just as good as some of the pricier alternatives (and perhaps a little trendier, too). The Marais spot has several private and coworking spaces offering formal and relaxed environments, allowing you to adapt your surroundings to your headspace. The downside is that there isn’t much of a dedicated social community here, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make your own. As part of a chain of Mitwit offices across France, Switzerland, and Belgium, weekend trips are made easy.
My Cowork
My Cowork has two coworking offices to choose from in Paris’s Marais neighborhood: Montorgueil and Beaubourg, both of which offer a unique but equally calm and focus-oriented atmosphere that balances the formality of an office with the comforts of home. At 300 euros per month for a “Resident” pass, which includes 24/7 access and a full selection of seating options, it’s ideal if you’re working long hours or in a different time zone. However, My Cowork doesn’t provide a community platform, so be prepared to network on your own terms.
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Coworkea
If you’re looking for a clean, modern, and professional environment, Coworkea is your guy. It has dozens of open spaces and private offices across Paris, making it convenient to pop into an office at a moment’s notice and change environments when feeling stagnant. An open-space monthly pass starts at 250 euros, and access to private offices starts at 600 euros per month. The more access you want to central spaces, the more you’ll pay. If you’re a creative professional, maybe go elsewhere—it’s best suited to remote-working corporate professionals and business owners.
Want To Know How To Set Up Life In Paris?
Whether you’re considering moving to Paris temporarily or for the long haul, Escape Artist is here to give you all the help and advice you might need. From visa info to the things you should know before you go, this page will give you the answers. Or visit us here to catch up with the latest travel tips, stories, and news for expats and digital nomads and get inspiration for your next move.
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Emily Draper is an experienced travel and lifestyle writer and editor from the UK who has written for brands including Culture Trip, Hidden Compass, and tourism boards in Greenland, Luxembourg, and Copenhagen. She has travelled to over 70 countries across all seven continents, now calling Morocco her home.
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