The local language might be French, but that doesn’t stop Paris from sporting a wealth of English-language bookshops, perfect for travelers and expats alike.
Shakespeare & Company
Shakespeare & Company is a legendary English-language bookstore in Paris, located not too far from Notre-Dame. It was inspired by an earlier shop founded in 1919 by Sylvia Beach that served as a literary hub for writers like James Joyce and Hemingway. Although it closed in 1941, its legacy lives on in the current shop, opened in 1941 as Le Mistral and renamed Shakespeare & Company in 1964.
It is truly a living testament of literary history, filled with endless shelves of books in all genres and topics. The shop also comes with an attached café selling local baked goods and coffee.
Address: 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris, France
Opening hours:
Bookshop:
– Monday to Wednesday: 10AM – 8PM
– Thursday to Saturday: 10AM – 9PM
– Sunday: 12PM – 7PM
Café:
– Monday to Sunday: 9AM – 7PM
The Abbey Bookshop
Since the French colonized Canada, it’s only right that they return the favor (in a polite manner, of course). Established in 1989 by Toronto native Brian Spence, this independent Canadian bookshop offers more than 40,000 titles, including new, used, and rare editions. Naturally, it also has a very healthy section of books by Canadian authors.
The store overall has an aged, abbey-like feel that feels like a piece of preserved history. Inside, rough stone is exposed along the walls of the staircase, adding to the atmosphere.
Address: 29 Rue de la Parcheminerie, 75005 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 10AM – 7PM
– Sunday: 1PM – 7PM
Péniche L’Eau Et Les Rêves
If you ever wanted to visit a floating bookshop, here’s your chance. L’Eau et les Rêves is docked on the Canal de l’Ourcq, offering both a broad collection of titles in nature, plants, botany, gardens, and travel, and a café-restaurant with events like talks and workshops.
The seating area has a canopy and clear windows that let guests enjoy the scenic river views while eating. Meanwhile, the bookstore area below is neat but welcoming, with Persian rugs on wooden floors and a plethora of house plants brightening nooks.
Address: 9 Quai de l’Oise, 75019 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Wednesday to Sunday: 11AM – 7PM
– Monday and Tuesday: Closed
San Francisco Book Company
San Francisco Book Company was founded in 1997, and while it may not be as long-running as some other shops on this list, that near-30-year run is impressive. Its collection carries a wide range of subjects, from fiction and mysteries to history, art, philosophy, science, and collectible titles.
Its most distinctive feature (at least visually) is the bright red paint of its storefront, modeled after the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It’s a treat to visit to get a bit of international flavor in Paris.
Address: 17 Rue Monsieur le Prince, 75006 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 10AM – 8PM
Smith & Son Paris
Formerly WHSmith Paris, visitors praise this bookshop for its well-curated selection of books, particularly new releases in fiction and non-fiction topics like politics, science, and history. The upstairs level has a children’s room, café, plus plenty of non-book items for sale: cards, stationery, toys, and more.
The shop is beautifully designed, both inside and out. The storefront has many elegant touches, like gold trim on the window display and marble lining the bottom wall. The inside is organized and stylish.
Address: 248, 250 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Monday and Sunday: 12:30PM – 7PM
– Tuesday to Saturday: 10AM – 7:30PM
TASCHEN Paris
TASCHEN is a German art-book publisher known for richly illustrated, design-forward books on art, architecture, photography, fashion, film, travel, and pop culture. Founded in Cologne in 1980 by Benedikt Taschen, it specializes in high-quality art books and collectible luxury editions.
The store’s Paris branch lives up to its brand name, looking more like an art gallery than a traditional bookstore. With dark, elegant wooden flooring and pillars, a sleek storefront, and rows of long display tables showing off gorgeous art books, there’s plenty to see.
Address: 2 Rue de Buci, 75006 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Monday to Sunday: 11AM – 8PM
The Red Wheelbarrow
Originally founded in 2001 in the Marais, the Red Wheelbarrow moved to its current location on Rue de Médicis in 2018. It has a distinctive blue storefront and high-ceilinged interior flush with tall wooden shelves.
The store offers an expansive mix of classics, contemporary fiction, poetry, and children’s books. It also hosts regular literary events, such as book launches, author meets, and more. The staff is very friendly and big on giving recommendations if you’re ever looking for something new to try.
Address: 9, 11 Rue de Médicis, 75006 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Monday and Tuesday: 10AM – 6PM
– Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday: 10AM – 7PM
– Friday: 10:30AM – 7PM
– Sunday: 11AM – 7PM
Librairie Galignani
This family-owned bookstore has a publishing history that dates back to the 16th century, and touts itself as the first English-language bookshop on continental Europe. The bookshop itself officially began in 1801, and it’s been in its current location since 1856, featuring a deep green storefront with stone pillars. The inside is elegant without being extravagant, with wooden shelves, mosaic wooden floors, and a skylight that lets in plenty of sun.
Although it prides itself on its vast English collection, it carries French titles as well, including literature, art, and children’s books.
Address: 224 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 10:30AM – 7:30PM
– Sunday: Closed
Brentano’s
Though Galignani might win the award for being the oldest English-language bookstore in Paris, Brentano’s also has quite a bit of history behind it. The store first opened at the end of the 19th century, and was originally part of a major U.S. bookstore chain founded in New York in 1853. It subsequently closed in 2009, but was bought and reopened in 2010.
Nowadays, this store operates as a hybrid bookstore and gift shop, offering English books, French-themed items, souvenirs, postcards, and unique gifts.
Address: 37 Av. de l’Opéra, 75002 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 9:30AM – 7:30PM
– Sunday: 10AM – 7PM
Librairie Jousseaume
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While this one isn’t strictly an English-language bookstore, its collection of English-language books is extensive enough that it is definitely worth a mention. This antiquarian bookshop has been around since 1826, tucked inside the ornate Galerie Vivienne. It’s one of Paris’s oldest bookstores, and the gallery’s oldest shop still in operation.
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Inside, the floor-to-ceiling wooden shelves carry over 40,000 titles, particularly rare and old books and vintage prints. It has an intimate but familiar atmosphere, like a private study being shared with the world.
Address: 45-46-47 Gal Vivienne, 75002 Paris, France
Opening hours:
– Monday to Saturday: 11AM – 7PM
– Sunday: Closed
