Paris Bookshop Tour
Most visitors to Paris find their way to the historic English-language bookshop, Shakespeare and Company, but this familiar landmark across from Notre Dame is only the first stop on my Paris Bookshop Tour. I particularly love perusing second-hand bookshops, and when I first moved from England to Paris, I thought my days of rummaging through stacks of used and vintage books were over. But as I wandered around the city à pied I gradually discovered Paris wasn’t lacking in English-language second-hand bookshops. Quelle surprise! Because I stumbled on these shops one at a time, it took me a year or more before I realized several of them were actually quite close to one another, and visiting them all together made an enjoyable day-out in the city.
I always begin at Shakespeare and Company because it’s a good central location. Unless I’m on the hunt for a new release, I usually spend my time searching the outdoor book cart and bookshelf for second-hand finds. If you have time for a coffee in the café next door, there are vintage classics for sale there too, though you have to be careful not to get in the way of patrons while browsing in the small space.
My next stop is just down the street and around the corner at The Abbey Bookshop. I discovered this tiny treasure completely by accident while out photographing cherry blossoms with a friend. We walked by what seemed like an alley off the Rue de la Harpe, and I caught a glimpse of a bookshelf, and my Canadian friend pointed out her native country’s flag waving in the breeze. Incidentally, an older gentleman wearing a flat-cap and carrying an armful of baguettes walked by at that exact moment, and I lifted my camera up as quickly as possible to capture this quintessentially Parisian moment.
On that first visit we met who I now know was the owner enjoying coffee at a small table outside the shop. I was almost always offered a cup each time I visited. If the idea of almost unlimited browsing appeals to you, this shop is a gold mine. There are stacks on stacks, sliding bookcases in front of bookcases, and narrow stairs leading to subterranean treasure. There are also plenty of new releases, but I usually walk away with Penguin paperbacks and small hardback volumes from the 1940s, my sweet spot.
The third stop on my bookstore walk is San Francisco Book Company. I didn’t discover this gem until two years after moving to Paris. I’m so glad I found it! This shop is jam-packed as well with the added bonus of being more reasonably priced than the first two stops on the tour. They have a vast selection of Penguin paperbacks, and they will buy used books from you if you need to empty your shelves, but of course I never made any transactions in that direction.
If I’m not in the mood to call it a day yet, my fourth stop is Gibert Joseph. This particular location of the French bookstore chain has a comparatively large English section for both adults and children. Bonus points for having both new and used books and being just a four-minute walk from San Francisco Books.
If your feet are tired, and your bags of books are feeling heavy, you can stop now, but if you have a bit more stamina left for a seven-minute walk, the last stop on my Paris Bookshop Tour is The Red Wheelbarrow, a small independent bookstore located near Luxembourg Gardens. This is the only shop on my tour that only sells new books, but it is too cute to leave off the list. The children’s section is especially well-stocked with beautiful picture books about Paris, so if you’re looking for a souvenir for the children in your life, this is a perfect place to browse and shop.
So there you have it! Five English-language bookshops you can visit in one afternoon in Paris. Happy shopping. I hope you find something special. Click here for walking directions starting from Shakespeare and Company.
