Wanderlust Location and Contact Information:
The space is located on the the "Docks" at the Cité de la Mode et du Design, a vast center dedicated to the history and art of fashion and design. Entrance signs and employees helpfully direct you as you enter the space.Address: 32, Quai d'Austerlitz
Metro:Gare d'Austerlitz (Line 5 or 10)
Open: Wednesday to Saturday, 12om-6am, and Sundays from 11am to 2am. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Activity times vary, so check the website for additional information.
Visit the official website
Entry/cover charge: Entry onto the terrace and into the club are free. Check the website for select activity costs and restaurant prices.
Sights and Attractions Nearby
- Bibliotheque Nationale District
- Cinematheque Francaise Film Center and Museum
- Butte aux Cailles Neighborhood
The Wanderlust Experience
One of the most wonderful aspects of Parisian life is being able to sit outside with a drink and chat with friends. Wanderlust's giant terrace is, obviously, much-coveted for its outdoor lounging possibilities. However, Parisian weather had been particularly temperamental throughout 2012, with frequent spells of rain and chill even in the summer, so my attempt to enjoy Wanderlust's outside terrace was quickly interrupted by showers. Not being able to sit on the lounge chairs situated on the terrace or order a drink from one of the outdoor bars or dance to the electric sounds of the DJs located in a neon green booth for more than a few minutes, however, only made me want to come back again, especially after exploring what was on offer inside.
The bar and club area, featuring contemporary design, boasts leather couches and neon tubing serving as lighting fixtures, yet still contains decorative hints of the industrial history of the facility and district, with elements such as grey piping worming around each seating area. The crowd mostly consists of young, fashionably dressed Parisians in their twenties and thirties. Since the facility just opened in June, the space has not yet made its way into English-language tour books, allowing for a truly Parisian evening out.
The full bar offers beer, wine, champagne and cocktails, and prices are about average for Paris. Music within the club itself sets a lounge vibe until 11pm, when DJs take over and spin electro and pop dance music until the space closes at 6am.
Weekend Offerings:
Aside from offering nightowls a new space to dance until well after dawn, complete with views of the Seine, weekends at Wanderlust are truly special for their unique offerings for kids and adults alike. Between 2pm and 6pm on Saturdays, kids (along with their parents) can participate in various workshops that range from building cardboard cabins, kites, super-hero masks and capes to producing their own soap, shower gel or perfume. Kids can also go a step further into the artistic realm by creating Swedish paper chains or customizing their own T-shirts. Hip-hop and capoeira dance lessons are also on offer. Adults, meanwhile, can take part in natural beauty workshops, sewing classes, a leather atelier, and a Food Lab with resident chef Benjamin Darnaud. Perhaps the most interesting offering for adults, however, is the hair workshop, which teaches a variety of popular styles, including tips on how to mimic Marie Antoinette's curls.Sundays at Wanderlust are dedicated to personal well-being, beginning with an outdoor yoga class on the terrace. After 1pm, you can visit a hairdresser, masseuse, and if you are in the mood for a truly lasting souvenir, a tattoo artist who's on site only once a month. Throughout the weekend, badminton games and a secondhand bookseller are also on site.
