Paris, the City of Love, is also a city of books!
In Paris, you feel like there is a bookshop every 100 meters. I recently returned to Paris, and while wandering through the streets of the Fashion Capital, I explored some of its most iconic stores. The City of Lights is home not only to the Eiffel Tower but also to some enchanting bookshops, each with its own unique charm and history. Here are a few of my favorites:
Shakespeare and Company
It feels a bit like cheating to start with the most famous Parisian bookshop. This iconic English-language bookshop is also one of the most renowned bookshops in the world and a dream destination for book lovers, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to be able to book hunt here during this trip.
Nestled in the heart of the Seine’s Left Bank, opposite Notre Dame, Shakespeare and Company has been a gathering place for writers and artists since the 1950s. The café-like atmosphere is simply irresistible. The original Shakespeare and Company, where amongst others Hemingway and Fitzgerald used to gather, opened just before the Roaring 20s but was closed during the war.
This is not a modern, gigantic shop, and it is always full, so you might have to wait in line for a few minutes under the cherry tree to be able to enter. But don’t worry, you will not be disappointed, the shop lives up to the hype. They even have a gorgeous reading room upstairs!
They regularly host readings, talks, and workshops with authors, and they even have their own podcast. Make sure to check their website for the latest events.
They also offer a unique Tumbleweed program, to shelter aspiring writers. Those awarded can enjoy a room for up to a month above the bookshop to work on their writing, right in the heart of Paris!
After choosing a book (or two), have it stamped on the first page with the Shakespeare and Company’s logo at checkout. I did!
Smith&Son Paris
Across the Seine, in the 1st arrondissement, close to the Place de la Concorde where the Luxor Obelisk stands tall, you’ll find a 150+ year-old bookshop that has withstood wars, floods, and daily hordes of tourists. Smith&Son brings a taste of British flair to Paris, and if you don’t believe me, a cup of cream tea and scones from its tea room will certainly make you change your mind.
I loved how the shop is organized and filled with natural light coming in from its many windows. The elegant graphic design and use of color, the stylish shopping bags, the typography, and the shop’s distribution all show that the shopping experience has been tastefully crafted during the 2021 makeover. The renovated central staircase with its exquisite stained glass is a showstopper.
Its location makes it the perfect place to pick up a new novel for your Parisian adventure. But be warned! As the shop is great and conveniently located just a few steps away from many of the landmarks you’ll be visiting, you’ll find yourself passing by it more than once and falling into the temptation of buying yet another book. I did.
Galignani
Just a stone’s throw from the Tuileries Garden, on Rue de Rivoli, lies Galignani, which proudly claims to be the oldest English-language shop in continental Europe. The original store dates back to 1801, with the current location opening in the 1930s.
When I first stepped inside, I immediately thought: Wow, this shop is chic. The beautiful wooden shelves, hardwood floors, library ladders, and books everywhere, instantly made me feel at home; and when I felt the light coming from the windows and skylights bathing the shelves, I was helplessly drawn to explore.
The place is absolutely crammed with books, filling the air with that familiar blend of wood and book fragrance that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. With a great selection of books in both English and French, from the latest novels to coffee table books, there is something for everyone to love.
The Abbey bookshop
This independent bookshop is the youngest of this bunch, founded in 1989 by Canadian book lover Brian Spence.
Packed with a huge collection of new, used, and rare English books, the experience of browsing in the Abbey Bookshop is completely different from all the others we’ve mentioned. It feels like a labyrinth of shelves with towering book stacks piled everywhere, and an entrance that seems carved into the façade of the eighteenth-century building where it sits.
Being located in the Latin Quarter near the Odéon, it ecapes the chic and glamorous towards the more bohemian essence of Paris.
The Red Wheelbarrow
Named after a short poem by William Carlos Williams, this small independent bookstore has a very welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel like you are at one of those traditional neighbourhood shops where they know you by name after just a couple of visits.
Right next door, their children’s book shop, called the Red Balloon, looks like it belongs in a postcard. In case you need to grab a last-minute gift for the little ones!
What makes The Red Wheelbarrow special is their strong sense of community. They host regular events like book signings and discussions with authors.
The vibrant blue facade with red lettering and sash windows make this little shop a peaceful hidden gem that escapes the rush of the city.
Whether you’re just a book-lover or hunting for a cool present, each of these Parisian bookshops has something magical to offer. The next time you find yourself strolling through the streets of Paris and stumble upon one of these gems, take some time to go inside, explore them, grab the latest bestseller, and find a comfy spot to enjoy your new book. Not a bad plan to spend a day in Paris, huh?
