Les Frigos

(Last Update: 28.01.2025) Surprises never end in Paris; an interesting place pops up around every corner. In this article, the year I first settled in Paris, that is, 2012I discovered in January 2017And from a very different place in , which I revisited for this blog post and wandered around once more for you, Les FrigosI want to talk about. You have probably never seen such a place in your life, and I think you have never thought that there could be such a place in Paris...

Looking at the photos This place looks like an abandoned building, but no. Here Paris Municipality'S complex of workshops allocated to artists; In this sense a art production center. Here around 200 artists They produce their works and continue their work in such an inspiring environment. Paris Municipality In this sense, it provides great support to artists. As far as I know, artists pay a certain rent here, but if we take into account how high the rents are in Paris, I guess the figures paid for such voluminous spaces are very low. Alright Where does the name Les Frigos come from?

Les Frigos (le frigo or le fğigo) in Turkish cold storage also used in the sense of "fridge" means. So here is It was built as a cold storage in 1921 and once upon a time, What we can call France's TCDD SNCFIt belonged to . in 1971 Les Halles The market building referred to as is from the city center RungisWhen we moved to , this cold storage lost its function and became a place for homeless people and sometimes for artists. In 2003 ownership Paris MunicipalityAfter moving to , this is a “city” allocated to artists in many fields.art production centerIt has functioned as ".

Again, looking at the photos in this article, this place is just street art Don't think of it as a place for artists. in this building street art In addition to artists, many artists continue their work in various branches such as publishers, sculptors, theater and music groups. In this sense, interaction between art disciplines takes place under a single roof. What can we say, this is the value given to art and artists.

Take me here for the first time 2012 in the year French-Turkish exchange friend Roger He introduced me. At that time, my French was at a beginner level and when Roger took me here to teach me an interesting place in Paris, I couldn't understand where we were coming from, I was quite scared when I sneaked through the door and saw what was inside 😀 I didn't fully understand what they were saying anyway, I just said "huh, huh" and dismissed it 🙂 Despite all the interesting appearance of this place, I was actually quite scared. I still understood that it was not a touristic tour route. Because -normally- You can't just walk in by waving your hands....

This is my second time going to Frigo. January 2017'also poet-writer-journalist-curator my friend dear Cüneyt AyralIt happened with . When I asked him if he knew about Les Frigos, of course he did, because street art one of his special interests. When I told him that it might be a problem to get in, he said that there was no such thing, that we could enter easily, and that he had an artist friend who already had a workshop here, so I followed him and went to 13. boroughTo the Les Frigos building in .

To go to Frigo by public transportation M14 subway or RER-C'S Francois Mitterrand Library Just get off at the station. Walk down the street opposite the Decathlon building on the corner and you will see Les Frigos on the right. Continue walking down the hill and turn right at the bottom corner and walk a little more before entering the garden. When you reach the main gate, if the door is closed press the gray button on the right, the door will open. Nobody came to us and asked us anything, so I visited this place easily for the second time. I think you should try your luck too. Especially Bibliothèque Nationale de France – François Mitterrandor on the opposite shore Bercy ParkIf you came to see , I suggest you go this way and have a look.

When you enter the main door, turn right and follow the corridor. There is another door on the right just ahead, if you can find it, you will reach the stairs and elevator that climb to the upper floors of the building. The elevator can only be used by those who have a card. But if you can get this far, it is free to climb up the stairs by walking :) Do not look at the state of the walls and think that you are in a scary place, very safe and peaceful somehow go up. Enter through the doors you find open and get lost in the maze-like corridors. The higher you go and the more doors you pass through, the more profit you get. Many of the images in these photos may have changed when you left; inevitable street art culture. After visiting the building, it might be nice to take a tour of the garden, I must say…

Since this place used to be a cold storage, some of the doors are huge and thick, which draws attention. You can visit this place because artists produce their works behind these doors. Not as a touristic place but with the etiquette of visiting an art house. I suggest you wander around. Even though I said enter through every door, please be careful not to disturb anyone. Though This place opens its doors to the public once a year, in the spring. If you wish, you can follow this event from the official web page link at the end of the article. Because it can be interesting to wander around these workshops and meet the artists.

In summary, I can say this about Les Frigos. How, don't you think it's as interesting a place as I said at the beginning? Les Frigos is a very different place from the Paris I introduced you to, but despite its secluded appearance, it is a very qualified art center. I'm telling you, what's on offer in Paris...

Stay with art,

Pleasant trips, pleasant discoveries.

Web address: les-frigos.fr

Address: 19 Rue des Frigos, 75013 Paris

Related Article:

• Paris and Street Art

What's Nearby?

• Bibliotheque Nationale de France (BnF) – François Mitterrand
• Passerelle Simone de Beauvoire
• Bercy Park – Parc de Bercy
• The Bercy Village
• Josephine Baker Swimming Pool