A guinguette opens up in front of Montparnasse station this summer: free food and activities.

From June 10 to July 19, 2026, the forecourt of Montparnasse station transforms into a festive, summer-ready hotspot for everyone, open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. This ephemeral pop-up guinguette at the station exit promises to become the neighborhood's new essential gathering place to unwind on the terrace or get into the mood according to the lineup if you have an hour before catching a train, or on arrival in the capital!

An outdoor bar, along with several food stalls, is on hand to keep everyone refreshed and to satisfy little appetites, from a quick lunch to the end of the evening, for afterworks with friends or family. If the initiative lends a holiday-like breeze to this vast concrete expanse, the forecourt is exposed to wind and sun, though parasols have been set up so guests can lounge in sun loungers.

In the heart of this laid-back space where you can take a breather, the programming is set to energize the neighborhood all week, with trivia nights, dance workshops, a comedy club, short-film screenings, and plenty of themed DJ sets. While entry is obviously free, you’ll need to fork out a few euros for food, and the prices are fairly high.

Moreover, don’t expect a typical riverside guinguette—the name may mislead. The exterior actually evokes a Christmas market, with little huts where you can eat, or even shop for non-food items. The selection is fairly varied, from a Vietnamese stall to Creole fare, plus kebab and even a vegan option! To give you a sense of it, we dropped 7 euros on a few sweet churros.

Here's something to inject a touch of life in front of the station, making the area more lively and inviting, particularly with the varied evening entertainment.

• To be read
• Top picks for the week of June 15–21, 2026 in Paris and Île-de-France

The guinguette lineup