Black Sheep Society owner Duncan Paterson pictured behind the bar. Photo: RNZ / Jogai Bhatt
New Zealander Duncan Paterson knows all too well how easy it is to feel homesick while abroad in Paris.
Whether it was the lack of feijoas, meat pies or having someone to banter with who gets your uniquely Kiwi humour - it was the comforts of home that many took for granted until it was no longer there.
The Wellington born rugby fanatic saw an opportunity to bring a taste of New Zealand to the streets of Paris.
"When I first came over here I worked for a New Zealand restaurant called Kiwi Corner and I realised that this was something I could do," Paterson said.
"There's quite a few Kiwis living over here and quite a few tourists that come over, so people are looking for somewhere to go."
In 2019, Black Sheep Society was the newest kid on the block. It is a self described 'international laid back neighbourhood bar - with a touch of New Zealand' and was a safe haven for the homesick and the rugby-mad.
The pub is a safe haven for home-sick Kiwis. Photo: RNZ / Jogai Bhatt
It opened its doors on the first day of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. It was Paterson's goal from the beginning to open in time for the event as he was determined for his bar to be just as much a destination for rugby fans as it was for Kiwis.
"The first World Cup we had 90 in here for that quarter-final and we thought 'we're never going to do that again', I've never seen 90 Kiwis in France."
Fast forward to 2023 and Paterson could not be happier to have the World Cup on his doorstep this time. The opening match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup between France and New Zealand was the busiest night they have ever had and a moment he will never forget.
"All the French wanted to come here, all the Kiwis were in town who didn't have tickets and wanted to come here, we couldn't pack everyone in so we took out as many tables to fit more in," Paterson said.
"The bar really holds about 100 and we had over 150 people in here. We made more in one night than we make in a week."
Normally the bar was run by Paterson and his partner and co-owner Elin Stephen-Kallin, but they hired two extra staff for the night of the opening match, anticipating the demand.
Photo: RNZ / Jogai Bhatt
The team were working overtime to ensure no patrons were left empty handed but as the temperature soared up towards 36 degrees, their Kiwi ingenuity was put to the test.
"I brought an extra air conditioning unit to try and bring the temperature down but it blew the house power," Paterson said.
"With that many people, when you're jammed in like sardines, it was a sauna.
"People were really good sports about it, they were saying to me 'good on you guys! You're doing so well' because we were running up and down sweating trying to change kegs and trying to keep the beer from foaming up, and all the dramas that go with when the temperature in a bar is too hot for the beer to cool itself."
Despite the dramas, Paterson was confident most of his patrons had a good night - "except for the result of course".
With the quarter-final showdown between the All Blacks and Ireland looming, Black Sheep Society are expecting another full house this Saturday night.
The Kiwi bar was the place to be and no-one wants to miss out on the action.
"I'm saying no to people making reservations, we have a lot of people trying to message us.
"Every day, there's six, seven or eight requests for reservations. It's hard to take those reservations if people don't turn up or turn up late."
Photo: RNZ / Jogai Bhatt
Sunday was also looking to be another jam-packed night for the Black Sheep team as France take on South Africa in the highly anticipated quarter-final.
"There's only six or seven other bars that are known for rugby so the French know they can come here. Hopefully we'll have a good contingent.
"The French who don't go to the ground, they know us as a rugby bar so we will be busy."
As a rugby fanatic himself, the success of the bar during the World Cup was a bittersweet reality for Paterson.
"It's too hard for me to go to the games. If it was a minor game I could go, but for the real games with either South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand, we're going to be busy and I've got to be here.
"Someone offered me a ticket for the game on Saturday just the other day and I'd love to go but I think they were doing it tongue and cheek because they knew my response would be 'no way'," Paterson said.
Hoping for an All Blacks win, his dream was for a France and New Zealand re-match in the final.
"Every time France plays, we have a full house. It's why we were so so busy for the first match.
"If that happens again we'll probably have French television here, we'll probably have radio again. We had a French radio station in here for the opening match getting the guys doing hakas and singing before the game. It would be explosive."
Whether the All Blacks make it to the final or not, one thing rings true - Paterson knows how to throw one hell of a party.