Paris is the perfect travel destination for book lovers. The French capital is also one of the literary capitals of the world, and one of few remaining cities were its normal to see subway cars full of commuters reading paperbacks on their way to work. You’ll find everything your bibliophile heart desires in the city, no matter what type of books you like best. Paris is a literary paradise. And while books are overwhelming available in French, the city caters to literature lovers who speak all different languages.
If you’re looking for a new copy of an iconic French book… the best place to visit is Librairie Gallimard at 15, boulevard Raspail. Gallimard is France’s preeminent book publisher and the selection of books available in this shop is unparalleled elsewhere.
If you want to have a cup of coffee in a place where literary history was made… there’s no better place than the iconic Cafe de Flore. I’ve written about my love for this cafe before, but it only grows over time. French literary heroes like Simone de Beauvoir and her partner Jean-Paul Sartre were regulars here. The cafe even gives its own literary prize each year, called the Prix de Flore. Stand in line if you have to – I promise, the place won’t disappoint.
Or, if you’d prefer to sip a hot beverage (or something stronger) while browsing a wide selection of books… you should stop in at Bar Perche, the newly opened cafe and lounge in the bookshop at Printemps, which is located at 70, boulevard Haussman. The spot has dubbed itself a literary bar, and the shelves upon shelves of books within it make that description feel entirely fitting.
If you’re looking for a unique vintage book to take home as a souvenir… there’s only one place to go: the banks of the Seine. The most unusual vintage books, postcards and other treasures are found at the bouquinistes, booksellers who operate out of green wooden stalls on either side of the river bank. You can’t visit looking for anything in particular, because you’re unlikely to find it. But each stall offers unique curiosities that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere.
Or, if you really want a book to read while you’re on your holiday… you’ll find Gibert Joseph bookstores all over Paris. There is a particularly large location at 26, boulevard Saint-Michel that sells all kinds of books and paper products. With that said, my go-to spot for reading material when I’m in the city is the bookshop in BHV at 52, rue de Rivoli.
If you’d prefer that book be in English… the best place to go is, and likely always will be, Shakespeare and Company at 37, rue de la Bucherie. Unfortunately, the shop has gone viral and there are now long lines just to get inside most days. It’s a Parisian literary classic but you may want to hold off on visiting until over-zealous, TikTok-inspired interest dies down.
Or if you read French, and you enjoy combing through stacks of old books looking for treasures… my favourite vintage bookshop is a must-visit. Le Dilettante, at 7, place de L’Odeon, appears in a surprising number of photos on social media these days, but the nice thing is that those photos mostly feature the exterior, with its bargain book bins. They’re fun to browse, but the real gems are all inside, in dusty stacks and on crowded shelves. And so far, almost no one is venturing inside to dig through them (apart from me.) You never know what you’ll find here, which is a big part of the fun, and prices are so reasonable that you can easily leave with a whole bag full of books if that’s what your heart desires.
