Web Worker Daily

As I mentioned in my last post, I attended the first TechCrunch Meetup in Paris on Tuesday. I confess, I don’t enter the tech meatspace very often, generally preferring to observe from afar via the Web. But I couldn’t pass this up.

I didn’t find the millions of euros I was hoping for (I admit I didn’t try very hard). But I did find some real live French web workers/startup founders (including a delightful web-working couple with the delightfully French names of Sylvain and Jacinthe) and a startup with an app we web workers can use (more on that soon).

I also discovered La Cantine, which is where the event was held. It’s a great co-working space run by Silicon Sentier, a nonprofit networking organization for tech professionals.

La Cantine provides 14 individual workstations with an ADSL connection and another space where 12 people can meet, or where 30 people can view a presentation. The atmosphere is very Parisian, as you can see. There’s even a wet bar in one corner, so the space can easily be converted from work to après work. More of that magnificent French work/life balance.

Silicon Sentier offers regular events, presentations and topical public gatherings at La Cantine, several of which recently focused on women and tech. The La Cantine website will soon feature an international social network for web workers and co-workers (something I’ve been wishing for) called “Coworkers United.”

So if you’re passing through Paris, even though the whole city is (un)wired for wi-fi, you might want to consider popping into La Cantine for an authentic Parisian web-working experience!